HISTORY.
In the spring of 1820, God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ appeared in vision to Joseph Smith, at Manchester, Ontario County, New York, while he was praying for wisdom. During several years following he enjoyed the ministration of angels, and received from them much instruction in the things of God.
On the 22d of September, 1827, an angel of the Lord delivered into his hands the metal plates which contained the ancient record known as the Book of Mormon, engraved in reformed Egyptian characters, and hid in the earth by divine direction about fourteen hundred years ago. In 1829 the plates were shown by an angel to three witnesses. Afterward eight witnesses saw them, and handled some of them. The testimony of these eleven witnesses is published with the Book of Mormon. With the plates was found a Urim and Thummim, consisting of two transparent stones set in the rim of a bow fastened to a breastplate, by means of which Joseph Smith translated the record into English by the gift and power of God.
On the 15th of May, 1829, John the Baptist appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery, laid his hands upon them, and ordained them to the Aaronic Priesthood, in the following words: "Upon you, my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer an offering unto the Lord in righteousness."
The same year the ancient apostles, Peter, James and John appeared to them and ordained them to the apostleship of the Melchisedek Priesthood.
On the 6th of April, 1830, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized, with six members, at Fayette, Seneca County, New York, by Joseph Smith, then twenty-four years old, who was instructed and empowered to that purpose by revelation from God. The Book of Mormon was printed at Palmyra, New York, and published the same year.
The Church rapidly increased in numbers and many located at Kirtland, Ohio.
In 1831, a settlement was made at Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, and in a few years in several other counties in that State.
On February 14, 1835, the first council of the Twelve Apostles was chosen. On the 28th of the same month the first council of Seventies was selected.
After being mobocratically driven from county to county, the Latter-day Saints were finally expelled from Missouri in 1838.