"AND THE VISION OF ALL IS BECOME UNTO YOU AS THE WORDS OF A BOOK THAT IS SEALED, WHICH MEN DELIVER TO ONE THAT IS LEARNED, SAYING, READ THIS, I PRAY THEE: AND HE SAITH, I CANNOT; FOR IT IS SEALED."
When the conference with Professor Anthon was ended, Martin Harris carried his manuscripts to one Doctor Mitchell, who claimed a knowledge of some of the characters; and learning what Anthon had said concerning their genuineness, the learned doctor endorsed the statements of the other scholar.
Harris returned to the Prophet's home, fully convinced. This man—generous, skeptical naturally, but honest—was seized upon by the spirit of the work. When he met Joseph he related the convincing occurrences of his visits to the learned men, and he proffered his services as a writer for the Prophet, in the great work of translation.
The proposal was gladly accepted; and Martin proceeded to Palmyra to arrange for a long absence from home. It was the 12th day of April, 1828, when he returned to Harmony, prepared to serve as a scribe.
From this time forward until the 14th day of June, 1828, Joseph dictated to Martin Harris from the plates of gold; as the characters thereon assumed through the Urim and Thummim the forms of equivalent modern words which were familiar to the understanding of the youthful Seer.
Martin Harris was a critical man without superstition. Listening to the words dictated day by day, and becoming familiar with Joseph, he sought to make another test.
One of Joseph's aids in searching out the truths of the record was a peculiar pebble or rock, which he called also a seer stone, and which was sometimes used by him in lieu of the Urim and Thummim. This stone had been discovered to himself and his brother Hyrum at the bottom of a well; and under divine guidance they had brought it forth for use in the work of translation. Martin determined to deprive the Prophet of this stone. He obtained a rock resembling a seer-stone in shape and color, and slily substituted it for the Prophet's real medium of translation. When next they were to begin their labor, Joseph was at first silent; and then he exclaimed: "Martin, what is the matter? All is dark."
Harris with shame confessed what he had attempted. And when the Prophet demanded a reason for such conduct, Martin replied: "I did it to either prove the utterance or stop the mouths of fools who have said to me that you had learned these sentences which you dictate and that you were merely repeating them from memory."
The work progressed through the two months from April until June; not steadily, for Martin was much called away. But at the expiration of that time, on the 14th day of June, 1828, Martin had written one hundred and sixteen pages foolscap of the translation.
And at this hour came a test, bitter in its experiences and consequences to the Prophet of God.