Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-06
AN ENSIGN FOR TILE NATIONS.
Sketch of the Rise and Progress of Mormonism.

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meted out TO him by his min
istcfiai friend. hut others did
not stop at that. They slandered the
boy without mercy; he was Stunned
and ostraciscd by the Dlous and re-
spectacle, and his very life was ut.
tempted by the bullet Of the ambushed
assassin.
THE GOLDEN PLATES.
Three years passed. Young Joseph.
stiil prosecuted, still affirmed the truth
OF his marvellous story. one night
September n. is2s.-haying retired TO
rest. after pleading with the Lord for
forgiveness OF his aims and further
manifestation OF divine favor, he re-
celvcd another heavenly visitation; TINS
time from an angel named Moroni, the
last Of line Of Prophets who had min.
istercd 20 an ancient people called
NcphitcH. Inhabitants Of prehistoric
America. Moroni revealed to the boy
prophet that the record OF the Ncphitcs,
engraved upon plates Of roli. ana &C.
companicd by the Trim and Thummin-
by means Of which II might be trans
iated-waa concealed IN n hill. called
by the nncients Cumornh, where he.
Moroh. at tho behcst Of his father
Mormon. the compiler Of the record,
had hidden II fourteen centuries be-
fore The hill. which was near TO the
village of Manchester. was shown to
Joseph In vision. Thlthcr he proceeded,
on the day folio Wing his Interview with
tho angel. and obtained. by divine per-
mission, his first view OF the plates and
the Interpreters. They were deposited
In stone box. embedded IN the earth
near the summit Of the hill. There, on
the agnd Of September. 1897, after four
years Of probation and discipline TO
prepare him for the work assigned HIM
Joseph Smith received from the An
gel Moroni the golden platcf, with the
Trim and Thummim. by means OF
which he translated and gave To- the
world the record known ~ the Book
Of Mormon.
The plates were Of uniform size. about
eight lnchcn In width. each one a little
thinner than ordinary tin. They were
bound together by three rings running
through one OF the edges. forming a
book about six inches thick. onc-thltd
OF which was scaled. This part was
not 20 be opened. the time not having
come for itH contents 20 be known. me
unrealcd plates. which could be turned
like the leaves Of book. and were cow
cred, both sides. with strange charnc.
tors. small and beautifully engraved.
We're free TO be translated by means of
the trim and Thummim. These were
two precious stones set IN the rims OF
silver bow and fastened 20 an ancient
brcaHtpiatc.
THE TRANSLATION.
The Prophets first assistant In the
work Of translation was Martin Harris,
a farmer " Palmyra. In February,
1898. while on visit 10 ms
young friend. at Harmony. pennsyl.
vnnlA-wherc Joseph then resided. NJ
the home Of his father ln-law. Isaac
Iinle--Martin was shown some OF the
characters. which Joseph Informed him
he had copied from tho golden plates
and translated. Martin received per-
mission to take these charactcrs TO the
city of New York and submit them 20
the learned men ~ the metropolis. lie
showed them. according To his account,
to Dr. Charles Anthem. Of Columbia
College, and 90 Dr. Mitchell. another
scholar. both stated that the trnnHlt-
tlon was correct. and the characters.
which were Egyptian. chnldaic, hyrlnc
and Arabic, true ana genuine. DR..
Anthem gave the Palmyra farmer a
certificate 10 that effect. but took II
back and destroyed Il ON being told. 10
his incrcduloun amaEcmcnt, that Jo-
Heph Smith had received the plates com
tanning the original characters from an
angel. Martin. convinced OF the gem
ulnenesS Of Joseph's claim. returned 10
Harmony. and began 10 act na his
scribe In the work Of translation.
The rcputcd method Of the task was
as follows. Tho Prophet. scanning
through the Trim and Thummim the
golden pages, would see appear. Ia lieu
of the mystical chnfhctcra engraved
thereon. their equivalent In English
words. These he would repeat. and his
scribe. separated from him by veil or
curtain. would write them down. A
popularity OF the process was that un-
III the writing was correct In every par
ticulnr, Tn. words last given would re-
main before the eyes of the translator.
ana not disappear. iiut upon the nccea-
hary correction being made. they would
pass away and be- succccdci by others.
In this manner the Book OF Mormon
was translated.
Joreph's principal assistant In the
work OF converting the Nophite record
Into English was a young man named
oliver cowdery, who came 10 him after
nn cntrangcmcnt had taken place be-
tween him and his former scribe.
through the lnttcr'a dirohedlcncc. as u
result OF which a portion ~ the trans
lntion-iis pngcs--waH stolen. oliver
was school teacher. who had heard 90
young Joseph and his remarkable claims
while boarding In the family OF his
father Joseph Smith, ST.. at Manehes-
ter. The Prophets first meeting with
oliver cowdery was at Harmony. Pa.
ON the 9Th % April. 1899. Tho lntter'a
volunteered services na scribe and
secretary were gladly accepted. ard the
translation was now resumed and push
cd rapidly 10 completion.
THE PRIESTHOOD RESTORED.
ON the 18th of May. 1899, Joseph and
oliver were ordained 10 the Aaronlo
Pfirrthood by an angel OF God, John
the Baptist, who appeared 20 them
while they were praying In the woods
concerning biptiAm Tor the remission
OF sins. a doctrine they had found mem
toned In the translation OF the plates,
but which was then almost obsolete In
chrlstendom. Placing his hands upon
their heads, the angel said, Upon you,
my fellow servants, In the name OF
Messiah. ! confer the Priesthood OF
Aaron, which holds the keys Of the
minlatering OF angels, and OF the Cos
pei OF repentance. and OF baptism by
immersion Tor the remission OF sins,
ana this shall meyer again be taken
from the earth, until the sons ~ Levi
Lord In Righteousness" This Priest.
hood. they We're told. empowered them
10 baptixe.shut not To beatow the Holy
Ghost by the laying on OF haids. That
could only be done by the authority OF
the Melchisedek Priesthood, the Keys
OF which were held by tho Apostles
Peter, James and John. under whose dl-
rection he. John the Baptist, was act
Ing. The Higher Priesthood, however
would In due time be conferred upon
them They were directed To baptize
each other by immersion and reordain
each other 20 the Anronlc Priesthood.
These Instructions they carefully obey
cd Soon afterwards tho Molchisedok