But persecution, slander and cruel outrage were all unable to change the steadfast testimony of Joseph. Three years passed away, during which time he was true to his trust through toil and poverty, through scorn and tribulation. The heavens no more opened to his view in this trying period; but the youth, who was fast maturing—growing in strength and understanding—was able to show the staunchness of his nature while he waited in patience and humility for the additional light which he had been led to expect.
Yet Joseph was human, with human loves and human wants. He sorrowed to find himself and his kindred cast off by all their old associates, and he at times was forced into the society of persons who made few or no pretensions to religion.
Doubtless the avowed infidels and unbelievers, whom he thus occasionally met, were no more lacking in genuine purity than were the self-righteous enthusiasts who shunned him except when they could devise some means for persecution and torture. But he had not yet learned to justly weigh the virtues and failings of others; and often he reproached himself with sinfulness because of his enforced associations. His quick conscience was apt to exaggerate every youthful foible, and he regarded many of his acts of thoughtlessness as offenses at which the Heavens must frown.
At last he felt the imperative need of light and help from the source whence flows all truth. He acknowledged that he had fallen into many foolish errors and youthful weaknesses; and he prayed without ceasing for the pardon of every wrong which he had done. He plead earnestly that he might gain greater knowledge for his guidance, and asked for a manifestation, from which he might know concerning his state and standing before the Lord. Despite his own self-accusation, the answer to his prayer proves that his probationary period had been passed satisfactorily to the Heavens and that he was still unstained by any dark offense.
CHAPTER IV.
THE ANGEL MORONI VISITS JOSEPH THRICE IN THE NIGHT—A RECORD TO BE BROUGHT FORTH—VISION OF CUMORAH.
It was on the night of the 21st of September, in the year 1823, that Joseph, having retired to his humble room, invoked an answer to his petition unto the Lord. While lying upon his bed thus seeking with all the power of his spirit, the usual darkness of the room began to fade away and a spreading glory appeared, which increased until the room was lighter than at noonday. In the midst of this light, which was most brilliant around his person, stood a radiant being, whose countenance was more bright than vivid lightning and was marvelously lovely. He seemed of greater stature than an ordinary man and moved and stood without touching the floor. He was clothed in a robe of intense and dazzling whiteness, far exceeding anything of an earthly character; and his hands and wrists and feet and ankles, as well as his head and neck, were bare. The glorious personage stood at Joseph's bedside; and to the awed youth, in a voice of tenderness and comfort, calling Joseph by name, the angel announced himself to be a messenger from the presence of the Almighty, and that his name was Moroni. The holy visitor then proceeded to unfold some of the grand purposes of the Lord. He said that through Joseph, God's power and kingdom were to be restored to earth; that Joseph's name should go out to all nations, kindred and tongues, to be blessed by the pure reviled by the unholy—that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people; that in the fulfillment of this mission, Joseph would be led to a hill, where was buried an ancient record engraved upon plates of gold, which record was a history of the nations that had inhabited the American continent, and furthermore contained the fulness of the Gospel as given during the administration of Jesus on this land. He said that with the plates were hidden two sacred stones, set in a bow of silver fastened to a breastplate, and called Urim and Thummim, by the possession and use of which, men in ancient times had become seers, and by means of which, aided by the inspiration of Heaven, Joseph also would become a seer and be able to read and translate the engraven record.
While the angel was thus speaking, Joseph was enabled in vision to see clearly and distinctly the holy hill and its environs, and the particular spot upon the hillside where the plates were held in silent trust. Moroni resumed his teachings, saying that the hour had not yet come for the translation of the record, but Joseph must prepare his mind by prayer and thought for the exalted duties and blessings which awaited him; and he most solemnly warned the youth, on penalty of sure destruction, against showing the hidden treasures to anyone except by commandment of God. Before taking his leave, the angelic messenger rehearsed much of ancient prophecy relating to the restoration of all holiness, the second coming of our Savior and His dominion upon earth; he explained many scriptural utterances; and of the wicked and unbelieving blasphemies, he spoke in such a sorrowful yet terrible voice that these words seemed to still the beating of the listener's heart:
"FOR BEHOLD, THE DAY COMETH THAT SHALL BURN AS AN OVEN; AND ALL THE PROUD, YEA AND ALL THAT DO WICKEDLY SHALL BURN AS STUBBLE!"
Among many commands and promises, Moroni gave this assurance from the Lord to Joseph: