The ^arise of the ^bChurch of Christ in these last days, being one thousand eight hundred and thirty years since the ^ccoming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the flesh, it being regularly ^dorganized and established agreeable to the ^elaws of our country, by the will and commandments of God, in the fourth month, and on the sixth day of the month which is called April—

 2 Which commandments were given to Joseph Smith, Jun., who was ^acalled of God, and ^bordained an ^capostle of Jesus Christ, to be the ^dfirst ^eelder of this church;

 3 And to Oliver Cowdery, who was also called of God, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to be the ^asecond elder of this church, and ordained under his hand;

 4 And this according to the ^agrace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom be all glory, both now and forever. Amen.

 5 After it was truly manifested unto this first elder that he had received a ^aremission of his sins, he was ^bentangled again in the ^cvanities of the world;

 6 But after ^arepenting, and humbling himself sincerely, through faith, God ministered unto him by an holy ^bangel, whose ^ccountenance was as lightning, and whose garments were pure and white above all other whiteness;

 7 And gave unto him ^acommandments which inspired him;

 8 And ^agave him power from on high, by the ^bmeans which were before prepared, to translate the Book of Mormon;

 9 Which contains a ^arecord of a fallen people, and the ^bfulness of the ^cgospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles and to the Jews also;

 10 Which was given by inspiration, and is confirmed to ^aothers by the ministering of angels, and is ^bdeclared unto the world by them—

 11 Proving to the world that the holy scriptures are ^atrue, and that God does ^binspire men and call them to his ^choly work in this age and generation, as well as in generations of old;

 12 Thereby showing that he is the ^asame God yesterday, today, and ^bforever. Amen.

 13 Therefore, having so great witnesses, by ^athem shall the world be judged, even as many as shall hereafter come to a knowledge of this work.

 14 And those who receive it in faith, and work ^arighteousness, shall receive a ^bcrown of eternal life;

 15 But those who ^aharden their hearts in ^bunbelief, and ^creject it, it shall turn to their own ^dcondemnation—

 16 For the Lord God has spoken it; and we, the elders of the church, have heard and bear ^awitness to the words of the glorious Majesty on high, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

 17 By these things we ^aknow that there is a ^bGod in heaven, who is infinite and ^ceternal, from everlasting to everlasting the same ^dunchangeable God, the framer of heaven and earth, and all things which are in them;

 18 And that he ^acreated man, male and female, after his own ^bimage and in his own likeness, created he them;

 19 And gave unto them commandments that they should ^alove and ^bserve him, the only ^cliving and true ^dGod, and that he should be the only being whom they should worship.

 20 But by the ^atransgression of these holy laws man became ^bsensual and ^cdevilish, and became ^dfallen man.

 21 Wherefore, the Almighty God gave his ^aOnly Begotten Son, as it is written in those scriptures which have been given of him.

 22 He ^asuffered ^btemptations but gave no heed unto them.