The Washington times., 1920-07-24
MORMONS GATHER
ATFOUNDER'SFARM
Disciples Meet at Place Apostle
Is Said to Have Talked
With Angel.

With Angel.
ROCHESTER,. ~ " July "a
Pioneer Day, great feast day OF the
Church OF the Latter Day Saints. or
Mormons, as they are more familiarly
known, will be fittingly celebrated to-
day at the Joseph Smith farm,
known TO all Mormondom as the
birthplace OF their. fsith. The farm
was the home OF Joseph Smith. the
founder OF the church, and IL was
there that he IL said TO have con-
versed with an angel dug up the
golden plates from a hillside and
preached his gospel for the first time.
Tho farm Is now IN charge OF w. w.
Bean, an elder OF the Mormon Church,
who resides on II with his family.
Pioneer Day commentaries the entry
OF the Mormons into what IL now the
State OF Utah, on July "a, istT.
The farm Is located south Of
Palmyra village. along highway
that is continuation OF stafford
street. II is owned by George Al
Jbert Smith, OF the Council OF Twelve
of the Mormon Church. The tract
originally consisted OF more than
100 acres, and was cleared OF trees TO
some extent by the prophet, Joseph
Smith. who sfterwsrd lost the farm.
1t eventually came into the hands OF
w Avery Chapman, of Palmyra, who
sold II 10 the present owner. The
dwelling stands on the eastern aide OF
tho road, and with but slight altera-
tion is the same as II was In the
prophets day. A large sign is at
tached to the barn across the high
way. reading THE Joseph Smith
Farm"
SACRED FOREST NEAR.
Back OF the barns is a small stream
in which the early converts TO the
faiteh were baptised. the Mormons
like thee Baptists. believing in i'm
mersion. To the West OF this stream
Is the sacreed forest or grove. Here
tradition saws, the prophet received
the revelation from God. who sent
an angel ASA messenger to him In
the form OF a man. II was while en-
gagged in prayer beneath a tree that
the prophet Is said to have felt a
presence and beheld a shining light.
from which he hid his face and
heard the voice OF the messenger
speak to him.
Previous to this revelation, the
Mormons say. Joseph Smith. who was
OF a religious turn OF mind and had
studied all creeds to which he had
access, 1tlt OlssdtlsHeu WIN edCN anu
prayed earnestly for trne light. 1t is
claimed that this Visitation was the
direct answer to prayeA The mes
senger told Joseph Smith that in
hill not far away there were buried
golden plates which might be secured
by him and that by the aid OF a key
buried with them, II he proved worthy.
he was to translate and give to man
kind the words engraved thereon.
Plates UNDER BOULDER.
The prophet IL said to have gone
to the spot indicated and found the
plates buried under a boulder. Tho
spot is now named Mount Cumorah,
or Norman Hll. The tract of land
embraced in the hill Is owned by
Pliny T. Sexton, OF Palmyra. The
home and birthplace Of Admiral VIII
liam T. Sampson. of Spanish Ameri-
can war fame, Is near by when the
prophet stopped to remove the plates.
after excavating several feet into the
side Of the HILL he related that the
heavenly visitant again stood beside
him and told him that he must serve
four years Of probation for the work
he had to do In the world. He re
turned to his home and spent much
of his time In prayer and walked In
the forest or grove, where he dreamed
and saw visions. At the end OF four
years he came again to the hill and
is said to have removed the plates
and key to his home. where they were
translated by him In a room on the
FIRST floor.
The room was divided by a cur
tain, the Prophet on one side trans
lating. and q scribe on the other side
writing down the words dictated to
him by Prophet Smith. The stand
used to hold the plates during trans
lation was found by Elder Bean 10
the attic Of the house. He caused the
stand to be re6nished. and it now
occupies the place OF honor in the
room where the translation was
made After the translation the
Prophet returned to bury the plates
In Mount Cumorah. when the "shin-
ing one again appeared and took
them from him, and, according to the
Mormon belief. the plates are now in
heaven. This belief is based on the
statement that the visitant took the
plates from Joseph Smith and the
words of Holy Writ: There are
records in Heaven"
FIRST MORMON BIBLE.
The. first edition of the Mormon
Bible was printed in 1880 on the press
of the Wayne County Sentinel John
II. Gilbert was the typesetter and did
the press work. He kept copy OF
the book in the original sheets, and
these are now in the possession Of
Pliny T. Sexton, president OF the
First National bank of Palmyra, The
volume is kept under a glass case,
and Is shown to visiting Mormons and
tourists. The press used in the print
ing was sold by the late +. W. Glenn
ons few years ago. Mr.. Gilbert,
who did the printing, said the manu-
script given him was in fne. clear
hand, without interlining or correc-
ton. The name of the copyist is un-
known. This was long before the
days OF typewriting. On Mount Gu
morah a slight depression in the
ground is pointed out as the place
from which the plates were removed.
In the prophets time the hill was
tree-covered: now but a single bush
remains at the top, at the spot held
sacred by tho Mormon faith.
Pioneer day IL a state holiday in
Utah, and Is generally observed
When the Mormons were driven from