Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-07

melted out to him by his min.
iHteral friend. Hut others did
not stop at that. They siandcred the
boy without mercy, he was Stunned
and oatracised by the pious and re-
spectacle, and his very life was AZ.
assassin.
THE GOLDEN PLATES.
Three years passed. Young Joseph.
still pcrpccutcd. atiii affirmed tn. truth
OF his marvellous story. one night
September 81. is23.-having retired 10
rcat. after pleading with the Lord for
forgiveness Of his sins and further
manifestation OF divine favor, he re-.
ccived another heavenly visitation, this
time from an angel named Mofonl. the
last Of line Of Prophets who had min.
irtercd 20 m ancient people called
Nephitcs. Inhabitants OF prehistoric
America Moronl revealed TO the boy
prophet that the record 81 the Ncphitct.
engraved upon plates 81 gold. and ac-
coInpanied by the Trim and Thunmln--
by means OF which u might be trans.
iated--waa concealed In n hill. called
by the nncicntn Cumorah. wherc he,
Moroni. at the hchsst Of his father
Mormon. the compiler Of the record.
had hidden Il fourteen centuries be.
fore. The hill. which was near 10 the
village of Manchester. was shown 10
Joseph In vision. Thlthcf he proceeded.
on the day following his Interview with
tho angel. and obtained. by divine per.
mission. his f1rrt View OF the plates and
the interpreters. They were Deposited
In n stone box. embedded In the earth
near the summit of the hill. There on
the and Of September. 1891. af,er four
years OF probation and discipline 10
prepare him for the work assigned him.
Joseph Smith received from the An
gel Mofoni the golden plates. with the
Trim and Thuinmlm. by means of
which he translated and gave 10 the
world the record known a. the Hook
Of Mormon.
The plates were Of uniform size. about
eight Inches IN width. each one n little
thinner than ordinary tin. They were
bound together by three rings running
through one % the edges. forming q
book about six Inches thick. one.'hlrd
OF which was sealed. This part was
not 10 be opened; tho time not having
come for It's contents 10 he known The
unsenlsd plates, which could be turned
like tho leaves Of book. and were GOV.
cred. both sides. with staDse charnc.
tors. small and beautifully engraved
were free to b. translated by means OF
the Trim and Thummim. These were
two precious stones set IN the rims ~ n
silver bow and fastened 10 nm ancient
brcaHtpln,c.
THE TRANSLATION.
The Prophets first assistant In the
work Of translation was Martin iarris.
a'farmcr Of Palmyra. In February.
is9s. while on visit 10 his
young friend. at Harmony. pcnnfyi-
Nnnia-wh.rc Joseph then resided. at
the home OF his fnther-In-iaw. lhaac
Hale Martin was shown some Of the
characters. which Joseph informed him
H. IaI .I.aI A.s
and translated. Martin received per-
mission 10 take thcte characters 10 the
city Of New York and submit thrm 10
the learned men OF the metropolis. lie
showed them. according 20 his account.
10 DR., Charles Anthem. % Columbia
scholar. Both stated that the tranaia-
tion was correct. and tho characters.
which wcrr Egyptian. chnidaic. syfiac
and Arabic true and genuine. Or.
Anthem gave the Palmyra farmer
certificate 10 that eject. but took u
back and destroyed II on being told, 10
his lncrcduloua Amusement, that Jo-
Hcph Smith had received the plates con-
tnininK the original characters from an
angel. Martin. convinced of the gem
uinenesn OF JoHcph'n claim. returned TO
Harmony, and began To act as his
scribe In the work ~ translation.
The rcpuied method OF the task was
Nv fNlluMNA lnt lTfNlNtit NtlNNlNN
through the Trim ana Thummim the
golden pages, would see appear. In lieu
~ the mystical characters engraved
thereon, their equivalent In Ensllah
words. These he would repeat. aud his
scribe. separated from him by veil or
curtain. would write them down. A
peculinriiy 81 the process was that un-
III the writing was correct IN every par
ticular the words last given would re-
main before tho eyes VI the translator.
ana not disappear. Hut upon the ne,os-
rary correction being made. they would
pass away ana be succeeded by others.
In this manner tho Book of Mormon
was translated.
Joseph'H principal assistant In the
work Of converting tho Nephite record
into English was a young man named
Oliver Cow derry, who came 10 him after
an ENHANCEMENT had taken place be-
tween him and his former scribe,
through the latter'H disobcdience, as "a
iaiion-ii6 pagsf-was stolen. Oliver
was n school teacher. who had heard ~
young Joseph and hla remark ,ble claims
white boarding Ia the family of his
father Joseph Smith, ST., at Manchoh-
ter. The Prophets iirnt meeting with
oliver cowdcry was AT Harmony. Pa.
on the 9Th OF April. 1899 Tho laiter'R
Volunteered services ns scribe and
secretary were gladly accepted. and the
translation was now resumed and push
ed rppidly To completion.
THE PRIESTHOOD RESTORED.
on the Eth Of May. 1872. Joseph and
oliver were ordained 10 the Aaronlc
Priesthood by an angel OF nod. John
the baptist. who appeared 20 them
while they We're praying IN the woods
concerning baptism FOR the remission
OF sins. a doctrine they had found men-
toned In the translation OF the plates.
but which was then almost obsolete Ia
chrlatondom. Placing his hands upon
their heads. the angei said. Upon you.
my follow servants. In tho name 81
Aaron. which holds the keys VI the
minlHtorlnE of angels. ana OF the Cos
pei OF repentance, and ~ baptism By
immersion for tho remission Of sins.
ana this shall never again be taken
from the earth. until the sons " Low
do offer again an offering unto the
Lord IN righteousness This Priest.
hood. they were told. empowered them
20 hnptlze. but not To bcatow the Holy
Ghost by the laying on Of hands, That
could only be done by the authority ~
the MclchlEcdek Priesthood. the kcys
Of which were held by the Apostles
Peter, James and John, under whose d.
rcotion he John the Baptist. was nct-
ing. Tho Higher prieathood. however,
would In due time be conferred upon
them, They were directed to bapiizn
each other by immersion and reordhin
each other TO the Anronlc priesthood.
Therc Instructions they carefully obey
ed. Hoon afterwards the Melchlaodek
Prlenthooi was conferred upon Joseph
smith and oliver cowdsry bv Peter.