The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-07-04

/ monument on the summit OF hh
near Palmyra. Known locally as
~ | Mormon hill, 1t is officially called
| Hill Cumorah by members of the
| Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter
Day Saints and venerated by them
al the place where the Angel Moroni gave to
Joseph Smith, the first prophet of the church,
the golden plates from which he translated the
Book of Mormon.
According TO Mormon history the Angel Mo-
ronl, heavenly parsonage who lived on the
American continent centuries ago and VINO was
the last writer of the Book OF Mormon, met
Joseph Smith on this hill once each year 1or
four years before entrusting him with the GUS
tody of the gold plates hidden therein SUD-
Bequent appearance Of the angel was mace 70
Oliver Cowdery, Martin Harris and David Whit
men during which he showed the golden plates
to them and bore witness that the translation
made from them was correct Iney were again
shown TO eight witnesses who received the mes
sage of their trnthfulness BY Inspiration
When the monument Is unveiled there Will 30
revealed at the top OF 40-foot granite shaft
the nlne-foot sculptured figure of the Angel
Moronl. bearing the plates In his left arm and
holding aoft his right arm as signal TO the
world that the message contained In the gold
plates had been returned to the modern world.
At the base OF the monument will be tour
: plaques.
One will show the boy, Joseph Smith, receiv-
ing the plates from the angel. second VIII
depict the scene Of the three witnesses viewing
the plates at the hands Of the angel third
will show the eight witnesses receiving testl-
mony concerning the plates and the fourth VIII
contain the exhortation OF Moronl found in the
Book of Mormon.
Although the three-day fete, OF which the mon
ument unwilling Is part, Is celebration ny
the members Of the Mormon church to marx
httngly the place which they regard as the Mt
Sinai Of the New World" 1t Is OF interest to all
Americans because this hill In western New
York marks the starting place of migration
which is one Of the real epcs in the history OF
American pioneering Especially Is this true OF
its Inst phase-the march across the Great
Plains OF the West to the valley of the Great
Salt lake In Utah.
Soon after the organization the -ehttreh-in
1880 In Fayette, Seneca county, New York. a
branch was set up In Kirkland. Ohio. and as
the Saints began to gather there In large num-
bers II became for time the headquarters OF
the church's activities printing press had
been set up, a large mercantile house opened
and In June 1888, the building Of a temple had
begun.
From the very beginning the expansion of the
new sect had met with Violent opposition lfuiH
the adherents of other religious faiths and Ii
now famed out even stronger. The printing press
was destroyed houses pulled down and the
goods from the stores scattered In the streets
About POO OF the Mormons were driven from
their homes and wenta 10 Missouri, to which
Joseph Smith and some OF the Mormon elders
had gone In the meantime and established
branches of the church In Jackson county and
other places. The refugees from Ohio settled In
Clay county and by industry and economy began
10 acquire land and other wealth But opposl-
ton to them again developed and when they
were forbidden TO purchase land or make I'm
prnvements, they moved to a new location on
government land In Caldwell county.
Here the foundations for another temple were
laid but again the Saints found no rest. Gov
ernor Boggs Issued an order for the extermina
flon OF the Mormons from the free republic OF
Missouri" and after period of persecution
1900 Of them were driven from their homes
In midwnter and crossed over the Mississippi
to Illinois where they established the city O
Eauvoo In Hancock county.
But the frontier population Of Illinois proved