“Carlos Smith was a young man of as much veracity as any young man we had, and he was a witness to these things. Samuel Smith saw some things, Hyrum saw a good many things, but Joseph was the leader. Now, you may think I am unwise in publicly telling these things, thinking perhaps I should preserve them in my own breast; but such is not my mind. I would like the people called Latter-day Saints to understand some little things with regard to the workings and dealings of the Lord with his people here upon the earth.”—Journal of Discourses, Vol. 19, p. 36.
It was likewise stated to me by David Whitmer in the year 1877 that Oliver Cowdery told him that the Prophet Joseph and himself had seen this room and that it was filled with treasure, and on a table therein were the breastplate and the sword of Laban, as well as the portion of gold plates not yet translated, and that these plates were bound by three small gold rings, and would also be translated, as was the first portion in the days of Joseph. When they are translated much useful information will be brought to light. But till that day arrives, no Rochester adventurers shall ever see them or the [p.15] treasures, although science and mineral rods testify that they are there. At the proper time when greed, selfishness and corruption shall cease to reign in the hearts of the people, these vast hoards of hidden treasure shall be brought forth to be used for the cause and kingdom of Jesus Christ.
Changing the scene once more another prophet, whose name was Mormon, stood on the summit of this hill. At that time a great and fierce battle was fought. After the conclusion of the battle, which occurred about 1472 years ago, Mormon’s grief was expressed on this heart-rending and doleful scene as found on page 560 of their history in the Book of Mormon. We will here again refer to the great battle of the Lamanites and Nephites:
“And when they had gone through and hewn down all my people save it were twenty and four of us, (among whom was my son Moroni) and we having survived the dead of our people, did behold on the morrow, * * * from the top of the hill Cumorah, the ten thousand of my people who were hewn down, being led in the front by me. And we also beheld the ten thousand of my people who were led by my son Moroni.”
And other generals are named who led each their ten thousand until we reach the enormous number of two hundred and thirty thousand men, with their wives and children, who were strewn around this most marvelous hill:
“And their flesh, and bones, and blood lay upon the face of the earth, * * * * * * to moulder upon the land, and to crumble and to return to their mother earth. And my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my people, and I cried: O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you! Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss. O ye fair sons and daughters, ye fathers and mothers, ye husbands and wives, ye fair ones, how is it that ye could have fallen! But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return. And the day soon cometh that your mortal must put on immortality, and these bodies which are now mouldering in corruption must soon become incorruptible bodies; and then ye must stand before the judgment seat of Christ, to be judged according to your works; and if it so be that ye are righteous, then are ye blessed with your fathers who have gone before you. O that ye had repented before this great destruction had come upon you. But behold, ye are gone, and the Father of heaven knoweth your state, and He doeth with you according to His justice and mercy.”
Before leaving the prophet Mormon standing on the hill in his lamentation, let us still extend the vision over the great battlefield, calling to mind that the 230,000 men were all soldiers, then were their wives, mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters, which we will multiply by five, making 1,150,000 souls; then extend the vision over and around the enemy’s camp, and at least double the number of slain, increasing the sad scene to the enormous total of 2,300,000 souls. Only for a moment imagine that we see the camp just before that great battle: twenty-three camps each of 10,000, with a general at their head, would be required for the 230,000 soldiers.
While I was standing upon this same spot of ground about three years ago, my mind contrasted the various changes of the present with the past and I fancied that I could review, as did Mormon, the sad and gloomy picture of his time, 1472 years ago.
The fathers of those who fell around this historic hill came from Jerusalem 600 years B.C. They were warned of God to flee from the land, because of the terrible calamities that were [p.16] about to befall the inhabitants of that once Holy City, for killing the prophets of God and for their wickedness.
The decrees of God were fulfilled in the destruction of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, after they crucified the Saviour and his disciples, and became fully ripe in iniquity. But 600 years before these disasters, the colony, who were directed by revelation, crossed the sea, landing in South America, building up cities, migrating northward, and leaving in their tracks northward many cities, temples, massive walls, and fortifications, some of which have been discovered by Catherwood and Stevens, as well as by many other historians; and new discoveries are still being brought to light. Among the many remarkable ruined aboriginal cities of the continent of America, Palenque is one of the most noted. It is situated on the Rio Chacamas, a branch of the great river Usumasinta, on the borders of Yucatan. It is in latitude 17 degrees 30 minutes north, longitude 92 degrees 25 minutes west. In this old city of ruins is a temple—no doubt one of the Nephite temples. The picture shows it as restored from the relics that are left. It is built of stone and is at the base 310 feet long, 180 feet deep, and 25 feet high. Ranges of stone steps 30 feet broad lead up to it, flanked with gigantic statues nine feet high, carved in stone. There are numerous hieroglyphics engraven but considerably defaced.