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Joseph Smith--History
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JS-H 1
Owing
to
the
many
reports
which
have
been
put
in
circulation
by
evil-disposed
and
designing
persons,
in
relation
to
the
rise
and
progress
of
a
The
Church
of
Jesus
Christ
of
a
Latter-day
Saints,
all
of
which
have
been
designed
by
the
authors
thereof
to
militate
against
its
character
as
a
Church
and
its
progress
in
the
world—I
have
been
induced
to
write
this
history,
to
disabuse
the
public
mind,
and
put
all
inquirers
after
truth
in
possession
of
the
b
facts,
as
they
have
transpired,
in
relation
both
to
myself
and
the
Church,
so
far
as
I
have
such
facts
in
my
possession.
2 In
this
history
I
shall
present
the
various
events
in
relation
to
this
Church,
in
truth
and
righteousness,
as
they
have
transpired,
or
as
they
at
present
exist,
being
now
[1838]
the
a
eighth
b
year
since
the
organization
of
the
said
Church.
3
a
I
was
born
in
the
year
of
our
Lord
one
thousand
eight
hundred
and
five,
on
the
twenty-third
day
of
December,
in
the
town
of
Sharon,
Windsor
county,
State
of
Vermont
...
My
father,
b
Joseph
Smith,
Sen.,
left
the
State
of
Vermont,
and
moved
to
Palmyra,
Ontario
(now
Wayne)
county,
in
the
State
of
New
York,
when
I
was
in
my
tenth
year,
or
thereabouts.
In
about
four
years
after
my
father's
arrival
in
Palmyra,
he
moved
with
his
family
into
Manchester
in
the
same
county
of
Ontario—
4 His
family
consisting
of
eleven
souls,
namely,
my
father,
Joseph
Smith;
my
a
mother,
Lucy
Smith
(whose
name,
previous
to
her
marriage,
was
Mack,
daughter
of
Solomon
Mack);
my
brothers,
b
Alvin
(who
died
November
19th,
1823,
in
the
26th
year
of
his
age),
c
Hyrum,
myself,
d
Samuel
Harrison,
William,
Don
Carlos;
and
my
sisters,
Sophronia,
Catherine,
and
Lucy.
5 Some
time
in
the
second
year
after
our
removal
to
Manchester,
there
was
in
the
place
where
we
lived
an
unusual
excitement
on
the
subject
of
religion.
It
commenced
with
the
Methodists,
but
soon
became
general
among
all
the
sects
in
that
region
of
country.
Indeed,
the
whole
district
of
country
seemed
affected
by
it,
and
great
multitudes
united
themselves
to
the
different
religious
parties,
which
created
no
small
stir
and
division
amongst
the
people,
some
crying,
a
"Lo,
here!"
and
others,
"Lo,
there!"
Some
were
contending
for
the
Methodist
faith,
some
for
the
Presbyterian,
and
some
for
the
Baptist.
6 For,
notwithstanding
the
great
a
love
which
the
converts
to
these
different
faiths
expressed
at
the
time
of
their
conversion,
and
the
great
zeal
manifested
by
the
respective
clergy,
who
were
active
in
getting
up
and
promoting
this
extraordinary
scene
of
religious
feeling,
in
order
to
have
everybody
converted,
as
they
were
pleased
to
call
it,
let
them
join
what
sect
they
pleased;
yet
when
the
converts
began
to
file
off,
some
to
one
party
and
some
to
another,
it
was
seen
that
the
seemingly
good
feelings
of
both
the
priests
and
the
converts
were
more
b
pretended
than
real;
for
a
scene
of
great
confusion
and
bad
feeling
ensued—priest
contending
against
priest,
and
convert
against
convert;
so
that
all
their
good
feelings
one
for
another,
if
they
ever
had
any,
were
entirely
lost
in
a
strife
of
words
and
a
contest
about
opinions.
7 I
was
at
this
time
in
my
fifteenth
year.
My
father's
family
was
proselyted
to
the
Presbyterian
faith,
and
four
of
them
joined
that
church,
namely,
my
mother,
Lucy;
my
brothers
Hyrum
and
Samuel
Harrison;
and
my
sister
Sophronia.
8 During
this
time
of
great
excitement
my
mind
was
called
up
to
serious
reflection
and
great
uneasiness;
but
though
my
feelings
were
deep
and
often
poignant,
still
I
kept
myself
aloof
from
all
these
parties,
though
I
attended
their
several
meetings
as
often
as
occasion
would
permit.
In
process
of
time
my
mind
became
somewhat
partial
to
the
Methodist
sect,
and
I
felt
some
desire
to
be
united
with
them;
but
so
great
were
the
confusion
and
a
strife
among
the
different
denominations,
that
it
was
impossible
for
a
person
young
as
I
was,
and
so
unacquainted
with
men
and
things,
to
come
to
any
certain
conclusion
who
was
b
right
and
who
was
wrong.
9 My
mind
at
times
was
greatly
excited,
the
cry
and
tumult
were
so
great
and
incessant.
The
Presbyterians
were
most
decided
against
the
Baptists
and
Methodists,
and
used
all
the
powers
of
both
reason
and
sophistry
to
prove
their
errors,
or,
at
least,
to
make
the
people
think
they
were
in
error.
On
the
other
hand,
the
Baptists
and
Methodists
in
their
turn
were
equally
zealous
in
endeavoring
to
establish
their
own
tenets
and
disprove
all
others.
10 In
the
midst
of
this
war
of
words
and
tumult
of
opinions,
I
often
said
to
myself:
What
is
to
be
done?
Who
of
all
these
parties
are
right;
or,
are
they
all
wrong
together?
If
any
one
of
them
be
a
right,
which
is
it,
and
how
shall
I
know
it?
11 While
I
was
laboring
under
the
extreme
difficulties
caused
by
the
contests
of
these
parties
of
religionists,
I
was
one
day
reading
the
a
Epistle
of
a
James,
first
chapter
and
fifth
verse,
which
reads:
If
any
of
you
lack
wisdom,
let
b
him
ask
of
God,
that
giveth
to
all
men
liberally,
and
upbraideth
not;
and
it
shall
be
given
him.
12 Never
did
any
passage
of
a
scripture
come
with
more
power
to
the
heart
of
man
than
this
did
at
this
time
to
mine.
It
seemed
to
enter
with
great
force
into
every
feeling
of
my
heart.
I
reflected
on
it
again
and
again,
knowing
that
if
any
person
needed
b
wisdom
from
God,
I
did;
for
how
to
act
I
did
not
know,
and
unless
I
could
get
more
wisdom
than
I
then
had,
I
would
never
know;
for
the
teachers
of
religion
of
the
different
sects
c
understood
the
same
passages
of
scripture
so
differently
as
to
destroy
all
confidence
in
settling
the
question
by
an
appeal
to
the
Bible.
13 At
length
I
came
to
the
conclusion
that
I
must
either
remain
in
a
darkness
and
confusion,
or
else
I
must
do
as
James
directs,
that
is,
ask
of
God.
I
at
length
came
to
the
determination
to
"ask
of
God,"
concluding
that
if
he
gave
wisdom
to
them
that
lacked
wisdom,
and
would
b
give
liberally,
and
not
upbraid,
I
might
venture.
14 So,
in
accordance
with
this,
my
determination
to
ask
of
God,
I
retired
to
the
a
woods
to
make
the
attempt.
It
was
on
the
morning
of
a
b
beautiful,
clear
day,
early
in
the
spring
of
eighteen
hundred
and
twenty.
It
was
the
first
time
in
my
life
that
I
had
made
such
an
attempt,
for
amidst
all
my
anxieties
I
had
never
as
yet
made
the
attempt
to
c
pray
d
vocally.
15 After
I
had
retired
to
the
place
where
I
had
previously
designed
to
go,
having
looked
around
me,
and
finding
myself
alone,
I
kneeled
down
and
began
to
offer
up
the
desires
of
my
heart
to
God.
I
had
scarcely
done
so,
when
immediately
I
was
a
seized
upon
by
some
power
which
entirely
overcame
me,
and
had
such
an
astonishing
influence
over
me
as
to
bind
my
tongue
so
that
I
could
not
speak.
Thick
b
darkness
gathered
around
me,
and
it
seemed
to
me
for
a
time
as
if
I
were
doomed
to
sudden
destruction.
16 But,
exerting
all
my
powers
to
a
call
upon
God
to
deliver
me
out
of
the
power
of
this
enemy
which
had
seized
upon
me,
and
at
the
very
moment
when
I
was
ready
to
sink
into
b
despair
and
abandon
myself
to
destruction—not
to
an
imaginary
ruin,
but
to
the
power
of
some
actual
being
from
the
unseen
world,
who
had
such
marvelous
power
as
I
had
never
before
felt
in
any
being—just
at
this
moment
of
great
alarm,
I
saw
a
pillar
of
c
light
exactly
over
my
head,
above
the
brightness
of
the
d
sun,
which
descended
gradually
until
it
fell
upon
me.
17 It
no
sooner
appeared
than
I
found
myself
a
delivered
from
the
enemy
which
held
me
bound.
When
the
light
rested
upon
me
I
b
saw
two
c
Personages,
whose
brightness
and
d
glory
defy
all
description,
e
standing
above
me
in
the
air.
One
of
them
spake
unto
me,
calling
me
by
name
and
said,
pointing
to
the
other—This
is
My
f
Beloved
g
Son.
Hear
Him!
18 My
object
in
going
to
a
inquire
of
the
Lord
was
to
know
which
of
all
the
sects
was
right,
that
I
might
know
which
to
join.
No
sooner,
therefore,
did
I
get
possession
of
myself,
so
as
to
be
able
to
speak,
than
I
asked
the
Personages
who
stood
above
me
in
the
light,
which
of
all
the
sects
was
right
(for
at
this
time
it
had
never
entered
into
my
heart
that
all
were
wrong)—and
which
I
should
join.
19 I
was
answered
that
I
must
join
none
of
them,
for
they
were
all
a
wrong;
and
the
Personage
who
addressed
me
said
that
all
their
creeds
were
an
abomination
in
his
sight;
that
those
b
professors
were
all
c
corrupt;
that:
"they
d
draw
near
to
me
with
their
lips,
but
their
e
hearts
are
far
from
me,
they
teach
for
doctrines
the
f
commandments
of
men,
having
a
form
of
godliness,
but
they
deny
the
g
power
thereof."
20 He
again
forbade
me
to
join
with
any
of
them;
and
many
other
things
did
he
say
unto
me,
which
I
cannot
write
at
this
time.
When
I
came
to
myself
again,
I
found
myself
a
lying
on
my
back,
looking
up
into
heaven.
When
the
light
had
departed,
I
had
no
strength;
but
soon
recovering
in
some
degree,
I
went
home.
And
as
I
leaned
up
to
the
fireplace,
b
mother
inquired
what
the
matter
was.
I
replied,
"Never
mind,
all
is
well—I
am
well
enough
off."
I
then
said
to
my
mother,
"I
have
learned
for
myself
that
Presbyterianism
is
not
true."
It
seems
as
though
the
c
adversary
was
aware,
at
a
very
early
period
of
my
life,
that
I
was
destined
to
prove
a
disturber
and
an
annoyer
of
his
kingdom;
else
why
should
the
powers
of
darkness
combine
against
me?
Why
the
d
opposition
and
persecution
that
arose
against
me,
almost
in
my
infancy?
21 Some
few
days
after
I
had
this
vision,
I
happened
to
be
in
company
with
one
of
the
Methodist
preachers,
who
was
very
active
in
the
before
mentioned
religious
excitement;
and,
conversing
with
him
on
the
subject
of
religion,
I
took
occasion
to
give
him
an
account
of
the
vision
which
I
had
had.
I
was
greatly
surprised
at
his
behavior;
he
treated
my
communication
not
only
lightly,
but
with
great
contempt,
saying
it
was
all
of
the
devil,
that
there
were
no
such
things
as
a
visions
or
b
revelations
in
these
days;
that
all
such
things
had
ceased
with
the
apostles,
and
that
there
would
never
be
any
more
of
them.
22 I
soon
found,
however,
that
my
telling
the
story
had
excited
a
great
deal
of
prejudice
against
me
among
professors
of
religion,
and
was
the
cause
of
great
a
persecution,
which
continued
to
increase;
and
though
I
was
an
b
obscure
boy,
only
between
fourteen
and
fifteen
years
of
age,
and
my
circumstances
in
life
such
as
to
make
a
boy
of
no
consequence
in
the
world,
yet
men
of
high
standing
would
take
notice
sufficient
to
excite
the
public
mind
against
me,
and
create
a
bitter
persecution;
and
this
was
common
among
all
the
sects—all
united
to
persecute
me.
23 It
caused
me
serious
reflection
then,
and
often
has
since,
how
very
strange
it
was
that
an
obscure
a
boy,
of
a
little
over
fourteen
years
of
age,
and
one,
too,
who
was
doomed
to
the
necessity
of
obtaining
a
scanty
maintenance
by
his
daily
b
labor,
should
be
thought
a
character
of
sufficient
importance
to
attract
the
attention
of
the
great
ones
of
the
most
popular
sects
of
the
day,
and
in
a
manner
to
create
in
them
a
spirit
of
the
most
bitter
c
persecution
and
d
reviling.
But
strange
or
not,
so
it
was,
and
it
was
often
the
cause
of
great
sorrow
to
myself.
24 However,
it
was
nevertheless
a
fact
that
I
had
beheld
a
a
vision.
I
have
thought
since,
that
I
felt
much
like
Paul,
when
he
made
his
defense
before
King
Agrippa,
and
related
the
account
of
the
vision
he
had
when
he
saw
a
light,
and
heard
a
voice;
but
still
there
were
but
few
who
believed
him;
some
said
he
was
dishonest,
others
said
he
was
b
mad;
and
he
was
ridiculed
and
reviled.
But
all
this
did
not
destroy
the
reality
of
his
vision.
He
had
seen
a
vision,
he
knew
he
had,
and
all
the
c
persecution
under
heaven
could
not
make
it
otherwise;
and
though
they
should
persecute
him
unto
death,
yet
he
knew,
and
would
know
to
his
latest
breath,
that
he
had
both
seen
a
light
and
heard
a
voice
speaking
unto
him,
and
all
the
world
could
not
make
him
think
or
believe
otherwise.
25 So
it
was
with
me.
I
had
actually
seen
a
light,
and
in
the
midst
of
that
light
I
saw
two
a
Personages,
and
they
did
in
reality
speak
to
me;
and
though
I
was
b
hated
and
c
persecuted
for
saying
that
I
had
seen
a
vision,
yet
it
was
true;
and
while
they
were
persecuting
me,
reviling
me,
and
speaking
all
manner
of
evil
against
me
d
falsely
for
so
saying,
I
was
led
to
say
in
my
heart:
Why
persecute
me
for
telling
the
truth?
I
have
actually
seen
a
vision;
and
who
am
I
that
I
can
withstand
God,
or
why
does
the
world
think
to
make
me
deny
what
I
have
actually
seen?
For
I
had
seen
a
vision;
I
knew
it,
and
I
knew
that
God
knew
it,
and
I
could
not
e
deny
it,
neither
dared
I
do
it;
at
least
I
knew
that
by
so
doing
I
would
offend
God,
and
come
under
condemnation.
26 I
had
now
got
my
mind
satisfied
so
far
as
the
sectarian
world
was
concerned—that
it
was
not
my
duty
to
join
with
any
of
them,
but
to
continue
as
I
was
until
further
a
directed.
I
had
found
the
testimony
of
James
to
be
true—that
a
man
who
lacked
wisdom
might
ask
of
God,
and
obtain,
and
not
be
b
upbraided.
27 I
continued
to
pursue
my
common
vocations
in
life
until
the
twenty—first
of
September,
one
thousand
eight
hundred
and
twenty-three,
all
the
time
suffering
severe
persecution
at
the
hands
of
all
classes
of
men,
both
religious
and
irreligious,
because
I
continued
a
to
affirm
that
I
had
seen
a
vision.
28 During
the
space
of
time
which
intervened
between
the
time
I
had
the
vision
and
the
year
eighteen
hundred
and
twenty-three—having
been
forbidden
to
join
any
of
the
religious
sects
of
the
day,
and
being
of
very
tender
years,
and
persecuted
by
those
who
ought
to
have
been
my
a
friends
and
to
have
treated
me
kindly,
and
if
they
supposed
me
to
be
deluded
to
have
endeavored
in
a
proper
and
affectionate
manner
to
have
reclaimed
me—I
was
left
to
all
kinds
of
b
temptations;
and,
mingling
with
all
kinds
of
society,
I
frequently
fell
into
many
foolish
c
errors,
and
displayed
the
weakness
of
youth,
and
the
foibles
of
human
nature;
which,
I
am
sorry
to
say,
led
me
into
divers
temptations,
offensive
in
the
sight
of
God.
In
making
this
confession,
no
one
need
suppose
me
guilty
of
any
great
or
malignant
sins.
A
disposition
to
commit
such
was
never
in
my
nature.
But
I
was
guilty
of
d
levity,
and
sometimes
associated
with
jovial
company,
etc.,
not
consistent
with
that
character
which
ought
to
be
maintained
by
one
who
was
e
called
of
God
as
I
had
been.
But
this
will
not
seem
very
strange
to
any
one
who
recollects
my
youth,
and
is
acquainted
with
my
native
f
cheery
temperament.
29 In
consequence
of
these
things,
I
often
felt
condemned
for
my
weakness
and
imperfections;
when,
on
the
evening
of
the
above-mentioned
twenty-first
of
September,
after
I
had
retired
to
my
bed
for
the
night,
I
betook
myself
to
a
prayer
and
supplication
to
Almighty
God
for
forgiveness
of
all
my
sins
and
follies,
and
also
for
a
manifestation
to
me,
that
I
might
know
of
my
state
and
standing
before
him;
for
I
had
full
b
confidence
in
obtaining
a
divine
manifestation,
as
I
previously
had
one.
30 While
I
was
thus
in
the
act
of
calling
upon
God,
I
discovered
a
a
light
appearing
in
my
room,
which
continued
to
increase
until
the
room
was
lighter
than
at
noonday,
when
immediately
a
b
personage
appeared
at
my
bedside,
standing
in
the
air,
for
his
feet
did
not
touch
the
floor.
31 He
had
on
a
loose
robe
of
most
exquisite
a
whiteness.
It
was
a
whiteness
beyond
anything
earthly
I
had
ever
seen;
nor
do
I
believe
that
any
earthly
thing
could
be
made
to
appear
so
exceedingly
white
and
brilliant.
His
hands
were
naked,
and
his
arms
also,
a
little
above
the
wrist;
so,
also,
were
his
feet
naked,
as
were
his
legs,
a
little
above
the
ankles.
His
head
and
neck
were
also
bare.
I
could
discover
that
he
had
no
other
clothing
on
but
this
robe,
as
it
was
open,
so
that
I
could
see
into
his
bosom.
32 Not
only
was
his
robe
exceedingly
white,
but
his
whole
person
was
a
glorious
beyond
description,
and
his
countenance
truly
like
b
lightning.
The
room
was
exceedingly
light,
but
not
so
very
bright
as
immediately
around
his
person.
When
I
first
looked
upon
him,
I
was
c
afraid;
but
the
d
fear
soon
left
me.
33 He
called
me
by
a
name,
and
said
unto
me
that
he
was
a
b
messenger
sent
from
the
presence
of
God
to
me,
and
that
his
name
was
Moroni;
that
God
had
a
work
for
me
to
do;
and
that
my
name
should
be
had
for
c
good
and
evil
among
all
nations,
kindreds,
and
tongues,
or
that
it
should
be
both
good
and
evil
spoken
of
among
all
people.
34 He
said
there
was
a
a
book
deposited,
written
upon
gold
plates,
giving
an
account
of
the
former
inhabitants
of
this
continent,
and
the
source
from
whence
they
sprang.
He
also
said
that
the
b
fulness
of
the
everlasting
Gospel
was
contained
in
it,
as
delivered
by
the
Savior
to
the
ancient
inhabitants;
35 Also,
that
there
were
two
stones
in
silver
bows—and
these
stones,
fastened
to
a
a
breastplate,
constituted
what
is
called
the
b
Urim
and
Thummim—deposited
with
the
plates;
and
the
possession
and
use
of
these
stones
were
what
constituted
c
"seers"
in
ancient
or
former
times;
and
that
God
had
prepared
them
for
the
purpose
of
translating
the
book.
36 After
telling
me
these
things,
he
commenced
quoting
the
prophecies
of
the
Old
Testament.
He
first
quoted
part
of
the
a
third
chapter
of
a
Malachi;
and
he
quoted
also
the
fourth
or
last
chapter
of
the
same
prophecy,
though
with
a
little
variation
from
the
way
it
reads
in
our
Bibles.
Instead
of
quoting
the
first
verse
as
it
reads
in
our
books,
he
quoted
it
thus:
37 For
behold,
the
a
day
cometh
that
shall
b
burn
as
an
oven,
and
all
the
proud,
yea,
and
all
that
do
wickedly
shall
burn
as
c
stubble;
for
they
that
come
shall
burn
them,
saith
the
Lord
of
Hosts,
that
it
shall
leave
them
neither
root
nor
branch.
38 And
again,
he
quoted
the
fifth
verse
thus:
Behold,
I
will
reveal
unto
you
the
Priesthood,
by
a
the
hand
of
Elijah
the
b
prophet,
before
the
coming
of
the
great
and
dreadful
day
of
the
Lord.
39 He
also
quoted
the
next
verse
differently:
And
he
shall
plant
in
the
hearts
of
the
children
the
a
promises
made
b
to
the
fathers,
and
the
hearts
of
the
children
shall
turn
to
their
fathers.
If
it
were
not
so,
the
whole
earth
would
be
utterly
wasted
at
his
coming.
40 In
addition
to
these,
he
quoted
the
a
eleventh
chapter
of
a
Isaiah,
saying
that
it
was
about
to
be
fulfilled.
He
quoted
also
the
third
chapter
of
Acts,
twenty-second
and
twenty-third
verses,
precisely
as
they
stand
in
our
New
Testament.
He
said
that
that
prophet
was
Christ;
but
b
the
day
had
not
yet
come
when
"they
who
would
not
hear
his
voice
should
be
cut
off
from
among
c
the
people",
but
soon
would
come.
41 He
also
quoted
the
a
second
chapter
of
a
Joel,
from
the
twenty-eighth
verse
to
the
last.
He
also
said
that
this
was
not
yet
fulfilled,
but
was
soon
to
be.
And
he
further
stated
that
the
fulness
of
the
Gentiles
was
b
soon
to
come
in.
He
quoted
many
other
passages
of
scripture,
and
offered
many
explanations
which
cannot
be
c
mentioned
here.
42 Again,
he
told
me,
that
when
I
got
those
plates
of
which
he
had
spoken—for
the
time
that
they
should
be
obtained
was
not
yet
fulfilled—I
should
not
show
them
to
any
person;
neither
the
breastplate
with
the
Urim
and
Thummim;
only
to
those
to
whom
I
should
be
commanded
to
show
them;
if
I
did
I
should
be
a
destroyed.
While
he
was
conversing
with
me
about
the
plates,
the
vision
was
opened
to
my
b
mind
that
I
could
see
the
place
where
the
plates
were
deposited,
and
that
so
clearly
and
distinctly
that
I
knew
the
place
again
when
I
visited
it.
43 After
this
communication,
I
saw
the
light
in
the
room
begin
to
gather
immediately
around
the
person
of
him
who
had
been
speaking
to
me,
and
it
continued
to
do
so
until
the
room
was
again
left
dark,
except
just
around
him;
when,
instantly
I
saw,
as
it
were,
a
conduit
open
right
up
into
heaven,
and
he
a
ascended
till
he
entirely
disappeared,
and
the
room
was
left
as
it
had
been
before
this
heavenly
light
had
made
its
appearance.
44 I
lay
musing
on
the
singularity
of
the
scene,
and
marveling
greatly
at
what
had
been
told
to
me
by
this
extraordinary
messenger;
when,
in
the
midst
of
my
a
meditation,
I
suddenly
discovered
that
my
room
was
again
beginning
to
get
lighted,
and
in
an
instant,
as
it
were,
the
same
heavenly
messenger
was
again
by
my
bedside.
45 He
commenced,
and
a
again
related
the
very
same
things
which
he
had
done
at
his
first
visit,
without
the
least
variation;
which
having
done,
he
informed
me
of
great
b
judgments
which
were
coming
upon
the
earth,
with
great
desolations
by
c
famine,
d
sword,
and
pestilence;
and
that
these
grievous
judgments
would
come
on
the
earth
in
this
generation.
Having
related
these
things,
he
again
ascended
as
he
had
done
before.
46 By
this
time,
so
deep
were
the
impressions
made
on
my
mind,
that
sleep
had
fled
from
my
eyes,
and
I
lay
overwhelmed
in
a
astonishment
at
what
I
had
both
seen
and
heard.
But
what
was
my
surprise
when
again
I
beheld
the
same
messenger
at
my
bedside,
and
heard
him
rehearse
or
repeat
over
again
to
me
the
same
things
as
before;
and
added
a
caution
to
me,
telling
me
that
Satan
would
try
to
b
tempt
me
(in
consequence
of
the
indigent
circumstances
of
my
father's
family),
to
get
the
plates
for
the
purpose
of
getting
c
rich.
This
he
forbade
me,
saying
that
I
must
have
no
other
object
in
view
in
getting
the
plates
but
to
glorify
God,
and
must
not
be
influenced
by
any
other
d
motive
than
that
of
building
his
kingdom;
otherwise
I
could
not
get
them.
47 After
this
third
visit,
he
again
ascended
into
heaven
as
before,
and
I
was
again
left
to
a
ponder
on
the
strangeness
of
what
I
had
just
experienced;
when
almost
immediately
after
the
heavenly
messenger
had
ascended
from
me
for
the
third
time,
the
cock
crowed,
and
I
found
that
day
was
approaching,
so
that
our
interviews
must
have
occupied
the
whole
of
that
night.
48 I
shortly
after
arose
from
my
bed,
and,
as
usual,
went
to
the
necessary
labors
of
the
day;
but,
in
attempting
to
work
as
at
other
times,
I
found
my
a
strength
so
exhausted
as
to
render
me
entirely
unable.
My
father,
who
was
laboring
along
with
me,
discovered
something
to
be
wrong
with
me,
and
told
me
to
go
home.
I
started
with
the
intention
of
going
to
the
house;
but,
in
attempting
to
cross
the
fence
out
of
the
field
where
we
were,
my
strength
entirely
failed
me,
and
I
b
fell
helpless
on
the
ground,
and
for
a
time
was
quite
unconscious
of
anything.
49 The
first
thing
that
I
can
recollect
was
a
voice
speaking
unto
me,
calling
me
by
name.
I
looked
up,
and
beheld
the
same
messenger
standing
over
my
head,
surrounded
by
light
as
before.
He
then
again
related
unto
me
all
that
he
had
related
to
me
the
previous
night,
and
commanded
me
to
go
to
my
a
father
and
tell
him
of
the
vision
and
commandments
which
I
had
received.
50 I
obeyed;
I
returned
to
my
a
father
in
the
field,
and
rehearsed
the
whole
matter
to
him.
He
b
replied
to
me
that
it
was
of
God,
and
told
me
to
go
and
do
as
commanded
by
the
messenger.
I
left
the
field,
and
went
to
the
place
where
the
messenger
had
told
me
the
plates
were
deposited;
and
owing
to
the
distinctness
of
the
vision
which
I
had
had
concerning
it,
I
knew
the
place
the
instant
that
I
arrived
there.
51 Convenient
to
the
village
of
Manchester,
Ontario
county,
New
York,
stands
a
a
hill
of
considerable
size,
and
the
most
elevated
of
any
in
the
neighborhood.
On
the
west
side
of
this
hill,
not
far
from
the
top,
under
a
stone
of
considerable
size,
lay
the
plates,
deposited
in
a
stone
box.
This
stone
was
thick
and
rounding
in
the
middle
on
the
upper
side,
and
thinner
towards
the
edges,
so
that
the
middle
part
of
it
was
visible
above
the
ground,
but
the
edge
all
around
was
covered
with
earth.
52 Having
removed
the
earth,
I
obtained
a
lever,
which
I
got
fixed
under
the
edge
of
the
stone,
and
with
a
little
exertion
raised
it
up.
I
looked
in,
and
there
indeed
did
I
behold
the
a
plates,
the
b
Urim
and
Thummim,
and
the
breastplate,
as
stated
by
the
messenger.
The
box
in
which
they
lay
was
formed
by
laying
stones
together
in
some
kind
of
cement.
In
the
bottom
of
the
box
were
laid
two
stones
crossways
of
the
box,
and
on
these
stones
lay
the
plates
and
the
other
things
with
them.
53 I
made
an
attempt
to
take
them
out,
but
was
forbidden
by
the
messenger,
and
was
again
informed
that
the
time
for
bringing
them
forth
had
not
yet
arrived,
neither
would
it,
until
four
years
from
that
time;
but
he
told
me
that
I
should
come
to
that
place
precisely
in
one
year
from
that
time,
and
that
he
would
there
meet
with
me,
and
that
I
should
continue
to
do
so
until
the
time
should
come
for
obtaining
the
plates.
54 Accordingly,
as
I
had
been
commanded,
I
went
at
the
end
of
each
year,
and
at
each
time
I
found
the
same
messenger
there,
and
received
instruction
and
intelligence
from
him
at
each
of
our
interviews,
respecting
what
the
Lord
was
going
to
do,
and
how
and
in
what
manner
his
a
kingdom
was
to
be
conducted
in
the
last
days.
55 As
my
father's
worldly
circumstances
were
very
limited,
we
were
under
the
necessity
of
a
laboring
with
our
hands,
hiring
out
by
day's
work
and
otherwise,
as
we
could
get
opportunity.
Sometimes
we
were
at
home,
and
sometimes
abroad,
and
by
continuous
b
labor
were
enabled
to
get
a
comfortable
maintenance.
56 In
the
year
1823
my
father's
family
met
with
a
great
a
affliction
by
the
death
of
my
eldest
brother,
b
Alvin.
In
the
month
of
October,
1825,
I
hired
with
an
old
gentleman
by
the
name
of
Josiah
Stoal,
who
lived
in
Chenango
county,
State
of
New
York.
He
had
heard
something
of
a
silver
mine
having
been
opened
by
the
Spaniards
in
Harmony,
Susquehanna
county,
State
of
Pennsylvania;
and
had,
previous
to
my
hiring
to
him,
been
digging,
in
order,
if
possible,
to
discover
the
mine.
After
I
went
to
live
with
him,
he
took
me,
with
the
rest
of
his
hands,
to
dig
for
the
silver
mine,
at
which
I
continued
to
work
for
nearly
a
month,
without
success
in
our
undertaking,
and
finally
I
prevailed
with
the
old
gentleman
to
cease
digging
after
it.
Hence
arose
the
very
prevalent
story
of
my
having
been
a
money-digger.
57 During
the
time
that
I
was
thus
employed,
I
was
put
to
board
with
a
Mr.
Isaac
Hale,
of
that
place;
it
was
there
I
first
saw
my
wife
(his
daughter),
Emma
Hale.
On
the
18th
of
January,
1827,
we
were
married,
while
I
was
yet
employed
in
the
service
of
Mr.
Stoal.
58 Owing
to
my
continuing
to
assert
that
I
had
seen
a
vision,
a
persecution
still
followed
me,
and
my
wife's
father's
family
were
very
much
opposed
to
our
being
married.
I
was,
therefore,
under
the
necessity
of
taking
her
elsewhere;
so
we
went
and
were
married
at
the
house
of
Squire
Tarbill,
in
South
Bainbridge,
Chenango
county,
New
York.
Immediately
after
my
marriage,
I
left
Mr.
Stoal's,
and
went
to
my
father's,
and
b
farmed
with
him
that
season.
59 At
length
the
time
arrived
for
obtaining
the
plates,
the
Urim
and
Thummim,
and
the
breastplate.
On
the
twenty-second
day
of
September,
one
thousand
eight
hundred
and
twenty-seven,
having
gone
as
usual
at
the
end
of
another
year
to
the
place
where
they
were
deposited,
the
same
heavenly
messenger
delivered
them
up
to
a
me
with
this
charge:
that
I
should
be
b
responsible
for
them;
that
if
I
should
let
them
go
carelessly,
or
through
any
c
neglect
of
mine,
I
should
be
cut
off;
but
that
if
I
would
use
all
my
endeavors
to
d
preserve
them,
until
he,
the
messenger,
should
call
for
them,
they
should
be
protected.
60 I
soon
found
out
the
reason
why
I
had
received
such
strict
charges
to
keep
them
safe,
and
why
it
was
that
the
messenger
had
said
that
when
I
had
done
what
was
required
at
my
hand,
he
would
call
for
them.
For
no
sooner
was
it
known
that
I
had
them,
than
the
most
strenuous
exertions
were
used
to
a
get
them
from
me.
Every
stratagem
that
could
be
invented
was
resorted
to
for
that
purpose.
The
persecution
became
more
bitter
and
severe
than
before,
and
multitudes
were
on
the
alert
continually
to
get
them
from
me
if
possible.
But
by
the
wisdom
of
God,
they
remained
safe
in
my
hands,
until
I
had
accomplished
by
them
what
was
required
at
my
hand.
When,
according
to
arrangements,
the
messenger
called
for
them,
I
delivered
them
up
to
him;
and
he
has
them
in
his
charge
until
this
b
day,
being
the
second
day
of
May,
one
thousand
eight
hundred
and
thirty-eight.
61 The
excitement,
however,
still
continued,
and
rumor
with
her
thousand
tongues
was
all
the
time
employed
in
circulating
a
falsehoods
about
my
father's
family,
and
about
myself.
If
I
were
to
relate
a
thousandth
part
of
them,
it
would
fill
up
volumes.
The
persecution,
however,
became
so
intolerable
that
I
was
under
the
necessity
of
leaving
Manchester,
and
going
with
my
wife
to
Susquehanna
county,
in
the
State
of
Pennsylvania.
While
preparing
to
start—being
very
poor,
and
the
persecution
so
heavy
upon
us
that
there
was
no
probability
that
we
would
ever
be
otherwise—in
the
midst
of
our
afflictions
we
found
a
friend
in
a
gentleman
by
the
name
of
b
Martin
Harris,
who
came
to
us
and
gave
me
fifty
dollars
to
assist
us
on
our
journey.
Mr.
Harris
was
a
resident
of
Palmyra
township,
Wayne
county,
in
the
State
of
New
York,
and
a
farmer
of
respectability.
62 By
this
timely
aid
was
I
enabled
to
reach
the
place
of
my
destination
in
Pennsylvania;
and
immediately
after
my
arrival
there
I
commenced
copying
the
characters
off
the
plates.
I
copied
a
considerable
number
of
them,
and
by
means
of
the
a
Urim
and
Thummim
I
translated
some
of
them,
which
I
did
between
the
time
I
arrived
at
the
house
of
my
wife's
father,
in
the
month
of
December,
and
the
February
following.
63 Sometime
in
this
month
of
February,
the
aforementioned
Mr.
Martin
Harris
came
to
our
place,
got
the
characters
which
I
had
drawn
off
the
plates,
and
started
with
them
to
the
city
of
New
York.
For
what
took
place
relative
to
him
and
the
characters,
I
refer
to
his
own
account
of
the
circumstances,
as
he
related
them
to
me
after
his
return,
which
was
as
follows:
64 "I
went
to
the
city
of
New
York,
and
presented
the
characters
which
had
been
translated,
with
the
translation
thereof,
to
Professor
Charles
Anthon,
a
gentleman
celebrated
for
his
literary
attainments.
Professor
Anthon
stated
that
the
translation
was
correct,
more
so
than
any
he
had
before
seen
translated
from
the
Egyptian.
I
then
showed
him
those
which
were
not
yet
translated,
and
he
said
that
they
were
Egyptian,
Chaldaic,
Assyriac,
and
Arabic;
and
he
said
they
were
true
characters.
He
gave
me
a
certificate,
certifying
to
the
people
of
Palmyra
that
they
were
true
characters,
and
that
the
translation
of
such
of
them
as
had
been
translated
was
also
correct.
I
took
the
certificate
and
put
it
into
my
pocket,
and
was
just
leaving
the
house,
when
Mr.
Anthon
called
me
back,
and
asked
me
how
the
young
man
found
out
that
there
were
gold
plates
in
the
place
where
he
found
them.
I
answered
that
an
angel
of
God
had
revealed
it
unto
him.
65 "He
then
said
to
me,
'Let
me
see
that
certificate.'
I
accordingly
took
it
out
of
my
pocket
and
gave
it
to
him,
when
he
took
it
and
tore
it
to
pieces,
saying
that
there
was
no
such
thing
now
as
ministering
of
a
angels,
and
that
if
I
would
bring
the
plates
to
him
he
would
translate
them.
I
informed
him
that
part
of
the
plates
were
b
sealed,
and
that
I
was
forbidden
to
bring
them.
He
replied,
'I
cannot
read
a
sealed
book.'
I
left
him
and
went
to
Dr.
Mitchell,
who
sanctioned
what
Professor
Anthon
had
said
respecting
both
the
characters
and
the
translation."
66 On
the
5th
day
of
April,
1829,
a
Oliver
Cowdery
came
to
my
house,
until
which
time
I
had
never
seen
him.
He
stated
to
me
that
having
been
teaching
school
in
the
neighborhood
where
my
father
resided,
and
my
father
being
one
of
those
who
sent
to
the
school,
he
went
to
board
for
a
season
at
his
house,
and
while
there
the
family
related
to
him
the
circumstances
of
my
having
received
the
plates,
and
accordingly
he
had
come
to
make
inquiries
of
me.
67 Two
days
after
the
arrival
of
Mr.
Cowdery
(being
the
7th
of
April)
I
commenced
to
translate
the
Book
of
Mormon,
and
he
began
to
a
write
for
me.
68 We
still
continued
the
work
of
translation,
when,
in
the
ensuing
month
(May,
1829),
we
on
a
certain
day
went
into
the
woods
to
pray
and
inquire
of
the
Lord
respecting
a
baptism
for
the
b
remission
of
sins,
that
we
found
mentioned
in
the
translation
of
the
plates.
While
we
were
thus
employed,
praying
and
calling
upon
the
Lord,
a
messenger
from
heaven
descended
in
a
c
cloud
of
light,
and
having
laid
his
d
hands
upon
us,
he
e
ordained
us,
saying:
69 Upon
you
my
fellow
servants,
in
the
name
of
Messiah,
I
confer
the
a
Priesthood
of
b
Aaron,
which
holds
the
keys
of
the
ministering
of
angels,
and
of
the
gospel
of
repentance,
and
of
c
baptism
by
immersion
for
the
remission
of
sins;
and
this
shall
never
be
taken
again
from
the
earth
until
the
sons
of
d
Levi
do
offer
again
an
offering
unto
the
Lord
in
e
righteousness.
70 He
said
this
Aaronic
Priesthood
had
not
the
power
of
laying
on
hands
for
the
gift
of
the
Holy
Ghost,
but
that
this
should
be
conferred
on
us
hereafter;
and
he
commanded
us
to
go
and
be
baptized,
and
gave
us
directions
that
I
should
baptize
Oliver
Cowdery,
and
that
afterwards
he
should
baptize
me.
71 Accordingly
we
went
and
were
baptized.
I
a
baptized
him
first,
and
afterwards
he
baptized
me—after
which
I
laid
my
hands
upon
his
head
and
ordained
him
to
the
Aaronic
Priesthood,
and
afterwards
he
laid
his
hands
on
me
and
ordained
me
to
the
same
Priesthood—for
so
we
were
commanded.
72 The
a
messenger
who
visited
us
on
this
occasion
and
conferred
this
Priesthood
upon
us,
said
that
his
name
was
John,
the
same
that
is
called
b
John
the
Baptist
in
the
New
Testament,
and
that
he
acted
under
the
direction
of
c
Peter,
James
and
John,
who
held
the
keys
of
the
Priesthood
of
Melchizedek,
which
Priesthood,
he
said,
would
in
due
time
be
conferred
on
us,
and
that
I
should
be
called
the
first
d
Elder
of
the
Church,
and
he
(Oliver
Cowdery)
the
second.
It
was
on
the
fifteenth
day
of
May,
1829,
that
we
were
ordained
under
the
hand
of
this
messenger,
and
baptized.
73 Immediately
on
our
coming
up
out
of
the
water
after
we
had
been
baptized,
we
experienced
great
and
glorious
blessings
from
our
Heavenly
Father.
No
sooner
had
I
baptized
Oliver
Cowdery,
than
the
Holy
Ghost
fell
upon
him,
and
he
stood
up
and
a
prophesied
many
things
which
should
shortly
come
to
pass.
And
again,
so
soon
as
I
had
been
baptized
by
him,
I
also
had
the
spirit
of
prophecy,
when,
standing
up,
I
prophesied
concerning
the
rise
of
this
Church,
and
many
other
things
connected
with
the
Church,
and
this
generation
of
the
children
of
men.
We
were
filled
with
the
Holy
Ghost,
and
rejoiced
in
the
God
of
our
salvation.
74 Our
minds
being
now
enlightened,
we
began
to
have
the
a
scriptures
laid
open
to
our
understandings,
and
the
b
true
meaning
and
intention
of
their
more
c
mysterious
passages
revealed
unto
us
in
a
manner
which
we
never
could
attain
to
previously,
nor
ever
before
had
thought
of.
In
the
meantime
we
were
forced
to
keep
secret
the
circumstances
of
having
received
the
Priesthood
and
our
having
been
baptized,
owing
to
a
spirit
of
persecution
which
had
already
manifested
itself
in
the
neighborhood.
75 We
had
been
threatened
with
being
mobbed,
from
time
to
time,
and
this,
too,
by
professors
of
religion.
And
their
intentions
of
mobbing
us
were
only
counteracted
by
the
influence
of
my
wife's
father's
family
(under
Divine
providence),
who
had
become
very
a
friendly
to
me,
and
who
were
opposed
to
mobs,
and
were
willing
that
I
should
be
allowed
to
continue
the
work
of
translation
without
interruption;
and
therefore
offered
and
promised
us
protection
from
all
unlawful
proceedings,
as
far
as
in
them
lay.
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