20. The Warnings of Moroni.—After making these and other explanations the light within the room seemed to condense about the person of the angel and he departed. Shortly, however, he returned and repeated what he had said on his first appearance, and again withdrew. To Joseph's astonishment he appeared the third time and again repeated his message.
21. In his first appearance that eventful night the angel told Joseph that when he obtained the plates containing the record of the ancient inhabitants of America, together with the breast-plate and the Urim and Thummim—the full time for them to be given to him had not then arrived—he was to show them to no person except those to whom he would be commanded to show them. He was told that if he violated his commandment he would be destroyed. At his third appearing that same night the angel cautioned Joseph, saying that Satan would try to tempt him, in consequence of the poverty of his father's family, to obtain the plates for the purpose of getting rich. This he forbade him, saying that he must have no other object in view in getting the plates but to glorify God, and must be influenced by no other motive than that of building up his kingdom.
22. The Fourth Appearance of Moroni.—The whole night was consumed in these interviews with the angel. In the morning of the day following, Joseph went to his usual labors, but was so exhausted and faint that he found himself unable to pursue them. His father, who was laboring with him, observing that he was ailing, directed him to go home. In attempting to climb the fence out of the field where he was working, his strength entirely failed him and he fell unconscious to the ground. When he became conscious, the angel who had visited him the night before was standing by him calling his name. He repeated again the things of the night before, and commanded Joseph to go and tell his father of them. This he did, and his father testified that they were of God, and counseled his son to be obedient to the heavenly vision.
23. Cumorah and its Treasures.—Joseph went immediately to the hill Cumorah[[8]] where the ancient record was hidden. So vivid had been his vision of the place the night before that he had no difficulty in recognizing it. [See note 4, end of section.]
24. On the west side of the hill Cumorah, not far from the top, under a stone of considerable size, lay the plates, deposited in a stone box. Removing the soil from around the edges of the stone box, with the aid of a lever, he raised it up and to his joy beheld the plates, the Urim and Thummim and breast-plate, just as described by the angel. He was about to take these treasures from the box when the messenger of the previous night again stood before him, and told him again that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, and would not until four years from that date. The angel instructed him to come to that place in just one year from that time and he would meet with him, and that he would continue to do so until the time for obtaining the plates for translation had come. Accordingly at the end of each year Joseph went to the place appointed, and every time met the same heavenly messenger, who gave him instruction and intelligence in respect to the work of the Lord, and how the Christ's kingdom was to be conducted in these last days.
25. Translation and Publication of the Book of Mormon.—On the 22nd of September, 1827, the plates, together with the Urim and Thummim and breast-plate, were given into the hands of Joseph Smith by the angel Moroni, with a strict charge to keep them safe, saying that he [Joseph] would be held responsible for them; that if he should carelessly, or through any neglect of his, let them go, he would be cut off; but if he would use his best endeavors to preserve them, they should be protected. He soon learned the necessity of the strict charge given to him by Moroni, for no sooner was it learned that he had the plates than every kind of device, not even omitting that of violence, was employed to wrest them from him. He guarded them safely however, and in the midst of much persecution and many difficulties, succeeded by the help of the Lord and the assistance of Martin Harris, a well-to-to farmer, Oliver Cowdery, a young school teacher, who acted as his scribe in much of the work of translation, and the Whitmer family—with this assistance he succeeded in completing the translation and publishing the work in the year 1830.
26. The Witness.—In the course of the work of translation, Joseph and those assisting him, learned from the record itself that it would be hidden from the eyes of the world, that the eyes of none might behold it except three witnesses that should see it by the power of God—besides him to whom the record would be given to translate—and a few others who should view it that they might bear witness of the work of God to the children of men.[[9]]
27. Oliver Cowdery, David Whitmer, and Martin Harris desired to become the three witness named, and obtained that privilege from the Lord. Some time in June, 1829, the promise that they should have a view of the plates, the Urim and Thummim and breast-plate was fulfilled. The angel Moroni appeared unto them, exhibited to them those sacred things, and commanded them to bear witness of their existence to the world. This they did, and their testimony is published in all copies of the Book of Mormon.
28. The plates were exhibited by Joseph Smith to eight other witnesses whose testimony and names are also published in all copies of the Book of Mormon.