How forcibly the honest inquirer must be struck with the clearness with which the position of the sects was portrayed by these holy beings—the Father and the Son. Religious professors have a form of worship but deny revelation, and the power of godliness made manifest by the exercise of miraculous gifts; they also repeat printed prayers which, being manufactured by others, cannot proceed from the hearts of those who mechanically utter them.
Joseph obeyed the command he received, to abstain from joining any of the religious denominations. On the night of September 21st, 1823, after having retired to bed, he was engaged in fervent prayer to the Almighty for the forgiveness of his sins, and a manifestation that would satisfy his mind as to his standing before the Lord.
While thus employed a personage of great beauty, dressed in white raiment, presented himself before him. The room was lighted up by the glory of his presence, the brightness of the light being most intense in close proximity to the person of this heavenly being. The name of this visitant was Moroni. He told Joseph that God had a work for him to do that would cause his name to be spoken of for good or evil among all people. We will here quote from the personal history of the prophet: "He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fullness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants; also that there were two stones in silver bows—and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim—deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted seers in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book."
This holy messenger gave Joseph many precious instructions relative to the coming forth of the record, and the setting up and establishment of the work of God in the last days, quoting several passages from the prophecies of the Bible, notably the third chapter of Malachi; eleventh chapter of Isaiah; third chapter of Acts; second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth to the last verse. These predictions, he stated, were soon to be fulfilled. Joseph was also shown, by the opening of the vision of his mind, by the power of the Almighty, the place where the plates were deposited. He was visited twice subsequently by the same personage, the same night, and on each occasion the instructions given on the first visit were repeated.
Passing over many intermediate circumstances which transpired up to the time of the plates with the Urim and Thummim being committed to the charge of the youthful prophet, it must suffice, in the present writing, to state that he received them from the Angel Moroni, on the 22nd day of September, 1827.
The prophet copied a number of the characters, which were very finely engraved on the plates, and, by means of the Urim and Thummin, translated some of them. These were taken by Martin Harris, to Professor Anthon, of New York, who stated that the translation was correct. On being shown the portion of the transcript that was not translated, he said the characters were Egyptian, Chaldiac, Assyriac and Arabic, and that they were genuine characters. The professor gave Mr. Harris a certificate to that effect, but on learning that the young man Joseph had the plates revealed to him by an angel, he demanded it back and tore it up, saying there was no such thing now as ministering of angels. He requested that the plates be brought to him and he would translate them. Mr. Harris replied that a portion of them was sealed and he was forbidden to bring them. Professor Anthon retorted, "I cannot read a sealed book." Mr. Harris also visited Dr. Mitchell, whose statement coincided with that of Professor Anthon, regarding the genuineness of the characters and translation.
In the midst of great difficulties and perplexities, out of all of which Joseph and the friends the Lord raised up to him were delivered by His matchless power, the work of translation was completed and the Book of Mormon was finally published, in the early part of the year 1830.
Limited space will not admit of a detailed account of the narrative portion of this remarkable record. This information can best be gained from the Book itself. It contains an account of the doings of the righteous and the wicked of the ancient inhabitants of America. It includes information relative to the dealings of God with the people, describing the works of many mighty prophets, seers and revelators. The sayings of these inspired men have slumbered in the dust for ages, but have spoken again from the ground in deep and piercing tones, in accordance with the recorded promise of our heavenly Father regarding the accomplishment of His marvelous work in the latter days.
The Prophet Isaiah must have beheld the coming forth of this record as a testimony to all men of the care which the Almighty has exercised over the nations of men, in every part of the earth, in all ages. Hear his words as found in the 29th chap., 11th to 14th verse: "And the vision of all is become to 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. And the book is delivered to one that is not learned, saying, Read this I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned. Wherefore the Lord said, forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid."
So truly have the words of Isaiah received a verification, that some portions of the passage just quoted read like a record made subsequent to the transpiration of the events to which they allude.