VISIONS OF 
 
 i Joseph Smith I Seer; 
 
 DISCOVERIES OP ANCTENT 
 
 AMERICAN RECORDS AND RELICS; 
 
 With the statements of 
 
 DR, LEDfiRER (CONVERTED JEW) AND OTHERS; 
 
 PRINTED BY THE BOARD OF PUBLICATION OF THE REORGANIZED 
 
 CHURCH OF .rijsrs CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS. 
 
VISIONS OF 
 
 DISCOVERIES OF ANCIENT 
 
 AMERICAN RECORDS AND RELICS ; 
 
 WITH THE STATEMENTS OF 
 
 DR, LEDERER (CONVERTED JEW) AND OTHERS. 
 
 PIANO, ILLINOIS: 
 
 PRINTED BY THE BOARD OF PUBLICATIOK OP THE REORGANIZED CHURCH OF^JESUS 
 CHRIST OF LATTER PAT SAIXTB. 
 
Bancroft Library 
 
 VISIONS OF JOSEPH SMITH, 
 
 The Seer. 
 
 MR. JOSEPH SMITH, jun., who made the following 
 important discovery, was born in the town of Sharon, 
 Windsor county, Vermont, on the 23d of December, A. 
 - D. 1805. "When ten years old his parents, with their 
 family, moved to Palmyra, New York; in the vicinity 
 of which he resided for about eleven years, the latter 
 part in the town of Manchester. Cultivating the earth 
 for a livelihood was his occupation, in which he employ- 
 ed the most of his time. His advantages for acquiring 
 literary knowledge were exceedingly small; hence, his 
 education was limited to a slight acquaintance with two 
 or three of the common branches of learning. He could 
 read without much difficulty, and write a very imper- 
 fect hand ; and had a very limited understanding of the 
 ground rules of arithmetic. These were his highest 
 and only attainments; while the rest of those branches, 
 so universally taught in the common schools throughout 
 the United States, were entirely unknown to him. 
 When somewhere about fourteen or fifteen years old, he 
 
REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 began seriously to reflect upon the necessity of being 
 prepared for a future state of existence ; but how, or in 
 what way to prepare himself, was a question as yet un- 
 determined in his own mind. He perceived that it was 
 a question of infinite importance, and that the salvation 
 of his soul depended upon a correct understanding of 
 the same. He saw that if he understood not the way, 
 it would be impossible to walk in it except by chance ; 
 and the thought of resting his hopes of eternal life upon 
 chance, or uncertainties, was more than he could endure. 
 If he went to the religious denominations to seek infor- 
 mation, each one pointed to its particular tenets, saying 
 "This is the way, walk ye in it," while at the same 
 time, the doctrines of each were, in many respects, in 
 direct opposition to one another. It also occurred to 
 his mind that God could be the author of but one doc- 
 trine, and therefore could acknowledge but one denom- 
 ination as his church ; and that such denomination must 
 be a people who believe, and teach that one doctrine, 
 (whatever that may be), and build upon the same. He 
 then reflected on the immense number of doctrines now 
 in the world, which had given rise to many hundreds 
 of different denominations. The great question to be 
 decided in his mind was If any one of these 'denom- 
 inations be the Church of Christ, which one is it ? Until 
 he could become satisfied, in relation to this question r 
 he could not rest contented. To trust to the decisions 
 of fallible men, and build his hopes upon the same, with- 
 out any certainty and knowledge of his own, would not 
 satisfy the anxious desires that pervaded his breast. To 
 decide without any positive and definite evidence on 
 which he could rely, upon a subject involving the future 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 5 
 
 welfare of his soul, was revolting to his feelings. The 
 only alternative that seemed to be left him was to read 
 the Scriptures, and endeavor to follow their directions. 
 He accordingly, commenced perusing the sacred pages 
 of the Bible with sincerity, believing the things that 
 he read. His mind soon caught hold of the following 
 passage : 
 
 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of G-od, that giveth to 
 all men liberally, and upbraideth not ; and it shall be given 
 him." James 1 :5. 
 
 From this promise he learned that it was the priv- 
 ilege of all men to ask God for wisdom, with the sure 
 and certain expectation of receiving liberally; without 
 being upbraided for so doing. This was cheering infor- 
 mation to him; tidings that gave him great joy. It was 
 like a light shining forth in a dark place, to guide him 
 to the path in which he should walk. He now saw that 
 if he enquired of God there was not only a possibility, 
 but a probability; yea more, a certainty that he should 
 obtain a knowledge, which of all the doctrines was the 
 doctrine of Christ, and which of all the churches was 
 the church of Christ. He therefore retired to a secret 
 place in a grove, a short distance from his father's house, 
 and knelt down and began to call upon the Lord. At 
 first he was severely tempted by the powers of darkness, 
 which endeavored to overcome him; but he continued 
 to seek for deliverance, until darkness gave way from 
 his mind, and he was enabled to pray in fervency of the 
 spirit and in faith. And while thus pouring out his 
 soul, anxiously desiring an answer from God, he at length 
 saw a very bright and glorious light in the heavens above, 
 which at first seemed to be at a considerable distance. 
 
6 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 He continued praying, while the light appeared to be 
 gradually descending towards him; and as it drew near- 
 er it increased in brightness and magnitude, so that by 
 the time that it reached the tops of the trees, the whole 
 wilderness, for some distance around, was illuminated 
 in a most glorious and brilliant manner. He expected 
 to have seen the leaves and boughs of the trees consumed, 
 as soon as the light came in contact with them; but, 
 perceiving that it did not produce that effect, he was 
 encouraged with the hopes of being able to endure its 
 presence. It continued descending slowly, until it rest- 
 ed upon the earth, and he was enveloped in the midst 
 of it. When it first came upon him, it produced a peculiar 
 sensation throughout his whole system ; and immediately 
 his mind was caught away from the natural objects with 
 which he was surrounded; and he was enwrapped in a 
 heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages, who 
 exactly resembled each other in their features or like- 
 ness. He was informed that his sins were forgiven. He 
 was also informed upon the subjects which had for some 
 time previously agitated his mind, viz. that all.the relig- 
 ious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines; 
 and, consequently, that none of them was acknowledged 
 of God, as his church and kingdom. And he was ex- 
 pressly commanded to go not after them; and he receiv- 
 ed a promise that the true doctrine* the fulness of the 
 gospel, should at some future time be made known to 
 him; after which the vision withdrew, leaving his mind 
 in a state of calmness and peace, indescribable. Some 
 time after having received this glorious manifestation, 
 being young, he was again entangled in the vanities of 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 
 
 the world, of which he afterwards sincerely and 
 repented. 
 
 And it pleased God, on the evening of the 21sfc cf 
 September, A. D. 1823, to again hear his prayera. 
 he had retired to rest as usual, only that his mind 
 drawn out in fervent prayer, and his soul was filled idth 
 the most earnest desire "to commune with some kiod 
 messenger, who could communicate to him the descrei 
 information of his acceptance with G-od," and also ma- 
 fold the principles of the doctrine of Christ, according: 
 to the promise which he had received in the former 
 vision. While he thus continued to pour out his desiics, 
 before the Father of all good, endeavoring to exere&e 
 faith in his precious promises, "on a sudden a light like- 
 that of day, only of a purer and far more glorious ap- 
 pearance and brightness, burst into the room. Indeed, 
 the first sight was as though the house was filled with 
 consuming fire. This sudden appearance of a light s 
 bright, as might naturally be expected, occasioned a 
 shock or sensation visible to the extremities of the body. 
 It was, however, followed with a calmness and sereaiiy 
 of mind, and an overwhelming rapture of joy, that sur- 
 passed understanding, and in a moment, a personage 
 stood before him/' 
 
 Notwithstanding the brightness of the light wMeli 
 previously illuminated the room, "yet there seemed to 
 be an additional glory surrounding or accompany ing fcfeis 
 personage, which shone with an increased degree of 
 brilliancy, of which he was in the midst ; and though Ms 
 countenance was as lightning, yet it was of a pleasi^g^ 
 innocent, and glorious appearance; so much so, tlnat 
 
8 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 every fear was banished from the heart, and nothing 
 but calmness pervaded the soul." 
 
 "The stature of this personage was a little above the 
 common size of men in this age; his garment was per- 
 fectly white, and had the appearance of being without 
 seam." 
 
 This glorious being declared himself to be an An- 
 gel of God, sent forth by commandment to communicate 
 to him that his sins were forgiven, and that his prayers 
 were heard; and also to bring the joyful tidings that 
 the covenant which God made with ancient Israel, con- 
 cerning their posterity, was at hand to be fulfilled; that 
 the great preparatory work for the second coming of the 
 Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was 
 at hand for the gospel, in its fulness, to be preached in 
 power unto all. nations, that a people might be prepared 
 with faith and righteousness, for the Millennial reign of 
 universal peace and joy. 
 
 He was informed that he was called and chosen to 
 be an instrument in the hands of God to bring about 
 some of his marvelous purposes in this glorious dispen- 
 sation. It was also made manifest to him that the 
 "American Indians" were a remnant of Israel; that when 
 they first emigrated to America theyVere an enlighten- 
 ed people, possessing a knowledge of the true God, en- 
 joying his favor, and peculiar blessings from his hand; 
 that the prophets, and inspired writers among them, 
 were required to keep a sacred history of the most"[im- 
 portant events transpiring among them : which history 
 was handed down for many generations, till at length 
 they fell into great wickedness : the most* part of them 
 were destroyed, and the records (by commandment of 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 9 
 
 God to one of the last prophets among them) were safely 
 deposited, to preserve them from the hands of the wick- 
 ed, who sought to destroy them. He was informed that 
 these records contained many sacred revelations per- 
 taining to the gospel of the kingdom, as well as proph- 
 ecies relating to the great events of the last days; and, 
 that to fulfill his promises to the ancients, who wrote 
 the records, and to accomplish his purposes, in the res- 
 titution of their children, &c., they were to come forth 
 to the knowledge of the people. If faithful, he was to 
 be the instrument, who should be thus highly favored 
 in bringing these sacred things to light : at the same time, 
 being expressly informed that it must be done with an 
 eye single to the glory of God, that no one could be en- 
 trusted with those sacred writings who should endeav- 
 or to aggrandize himself, by converting sacred things][to 
 unrighteous and speculative purposes. After giving 
 him many instructions concerning things past and to 
 come, which would be foreign to our purpose to mention 
 here, he disappeared, and the light and glory of God 
 withdrew, leaving his mind in perfect peace, while a 
 calmness and serenity indescribable pervaded the soul. 
 But before morning the vision was twice renewed, in- 
 structing him further and still further, concerning the 
 great work of God, about to be performed on the earth. 
 In the morning he went out to his labor as usual; but soon 
 the vision was renewed the Angel again appeared; 
 and having been informed by the previous visions of the 
 night, concerning the place where those records were 
 deposited, he was instructed to go immediately and view 
 them. 
 
 Accordingly he repaired to the place, a brief de- 
 
10 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 scription of which shall be given, in the words of & gen- 
 tleman, by the name of Oliver Cowdery, who has visited 
 the spot. 
 
 " As you pass on the mail-road, from Palmyra, Wayne 
 county, to Canandaigua, Ontario county, New York, 
 before arriving at the little village of Manchester, say 
 from three to four, or about four miles from Palmyra, 
 you pass a large hill on the east side of the road. Why 
 I say large, is because it is as large, perhaps, as any in 
 that country. 
 
 "The north end rises quite suddenly, until it as- 
 sumes a level with the more southerly extremity; and 
 I think I may say an elevation higher than at the south, 
 a short distance, say half or three-fourths of a mile. As 
 you pass towards Canandaigua, it lessens gradually, un- 
 til the surface assumes its common level, or is broken 
 by other smaller hills or ridges, water-courses and rav- 
 ines. I think I am justified in saying that this is the 
 highest hill for some distance round, and I am certain 
 that its appearance, as it rises so suddenly Prom a plain 
 on the north, must attract the notice of a traveler as he 
 passes by/' "The north end/' which has been describ- 
 ed as rising suddenly from the plain, forms "a promon- 
 tory without timber, but covered with grass/' As you 
 pass to the south you soon come to scattering timber, 
 the surface having been cleared by art or wind; and a 
 short distance further left, you are surrounded with the 
 common forest of the country. It is necessary to observe, 
 that even the part cleared, was only occupied for pas- 
 turage; its steep ascent, and narrow summit, not admit- 
 ting the plough of the husbandman, with any degree of 
 ease or profit. It was at the second mentioned place 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 11 
 
 where the record was found to be deposited, on the west 
 side of tho hill, not far from the top, down its side ; and 
 when myself visited the place in the year 1830, there 
 were several trees standing enough to cause a shade 
 in summer, but not so much as to prevent the surface 
 being covered with grass which was also the case when 
 the record was first found. 
 
 "How far below the surface these records were/' 
 anciently "placed, I am not able to say; but from the 
 fact, that they had been some fourteen hundred years 
 buried, and that, too, on the side of a hill so steep, one 
 is ready to conclude that they were some feet below, as 
 the earth would naturally wear more or less in that length 
 of time. But they, being placed toward the the top of 
 the hill, the ground would not remove as much as at 
 two-thirds, perhaps. Another circumstance would pre- 
 vent a wearing of the earth: in all probability, as soon 
 as timber had time to grow, the hill was covered, and 
 the roots of the same would hold the surface. However, 
 on this point, I shall leave every man to draw his own 
 conclusions, and form his own speculations." But, suf- 
 fice to say, "a hole of sufficient depth was dug. At the 
 bottom of this was laid a stone of suitable size, the upper 
 surface being smooth. At each edge was placed a large 
 quantity of cement, and into this cement, at the four 
 edges of this stone, were placed erect four others ; tlieir 
 bottom edges resting in the cement, at the outer edges 
 of the first stone. The four last named, when placed 
 erect, formed a box: the corners, or where the edges 
 of the four came in contact, were also cemented so 
 firmly, that the moisture from without was prevented 
 from entering. It is to be observed, also, that the inner 
 
12 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 surfaces of the four erect or side stones were smooth. 
 This box was sufficiently large to admit a breast-plate, 
 such as was used by the ancients to defend the chest, 
 etc., from the arrows and weapons of their enemy. From 
 the bottom of the box, or from the breast-plate, arose 
 three small pillars, composed of the same description of 
 cement used on the edges; and upon these three pillars 
 were placed the records." "This box containing the 
 records was covered by another stone, the bottom surface 
 being flat, and the upper crowning." When it was 
 first visited by Mr. Smith, on the'morning of the 22d 
 of September, 1823, a a part of the crowning stone was 
 visible above the surface, while the edges were conceal- 
 ed by the soil and grass. From which circumstance it 
 may be seen a that however deep this box might have 
 been placed at first, the time had been sufficient to wear 
 the earth, so that it was easily discovered, when once 
 directed, and yet not enough to make a perceivable dif- 
 ference to the passer-by." "After arriving'at thejre- 
 pository, a little exertion in removing the soil from the 
 top of the box, and a light pry, brought to'Jhis natural 
 vision its contents." While viewing and contemplating 
 this sacred treasure with wonder and astonishment, be- 
 hold ! the angel of the Lord, who had previously visited 
 him, again stood in his presence, and his soul was again 
 enlightened as it was the evening before, and he was 
 filled with the Holy Spirit, and the heavens were open- 
 ed, and the glory of the*Lord shone round about and 
 rested upon him. While he thus stood gazing and ad- 
 miring, the Angel said, "Look !" And as he thus spake, 
 he beheld the Prince of Darkness, surrounded by his 
 innumerable train of associates. All this passed before 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 13 
 
 him, and the heavenly messenger said, "AlUhis is shown, 
 the good and the evil, the holy and impure, the glory of 
 God and the power of darkness, that you may know here- 
 after the two powers and never bejmfluenced or over- 
 come by that wicked one. Behold, whatsoever enticeth 
 and leadeth to good and to do good, is of God, and what- 
 soever doth not, is of the wicked one. It is he that fill- 
 eth the hearts of men with evil, to walk in darkness and 
 blaspheme God ; and you may learn from henceforth, 
 that his ways are to destruction, but the way of holiness 
 is peace and rest. You cannot at this time^obtain this 
 record, for the commandment of God is strict, and if 
 ever these sacred things are obtained, they must be by 
 prayer and faithfulness in obeying the Lord. They are 
 not deposited here for the sake of accumulating gain and 
 wealth for the glory of this world ; they were sealed by 
 the prayer of faith, and because of the knowledge'which 
 they contain, they are of no worth among the children 
 of men, only for their knowledge. On them is contain- 
 ed the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ, as it was 
 given to his people on this land; and when it shall be 
 brought forth by the power of God, it shall be carried 
 to the Gentiles, of whom many will receive it, and after 
 will the seed of Israel be brought into the fold of their 
 Redeemer by obeying it also. Those who kept the com- 
 mandments of the Lord on this land, desired this at his 
 hand, and through the prayer of faith obtained the 
 promise, that if their descendants should transgress and 
 fall away, that a record should be kept, and in the last 
 days come to their children. These things are sacred, 
 and must be kept so, for the promise of the Lord con- 
 cerning them [must be fulfilled. No man can obtain 
 
14 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 them if his heart is impure, because they contain that 
 which is sacred." * * * "By them will the Lord work 
 a great and marvelous work; the wisdom of the wise 
 shall become as nought, and the understanding of the 
 prudent shall be hid, and because the power of God shall 
 be displayed, those who profess to know the truth, but 
 walk in deceit, shall tremble with anger ; but with signs 
 and with wonders, with gifts and with healings, with 
 the manifestations of the power of God, and with the 
 Holy Ghost, shall the hearts of the faithful be comfort- 
 ed. You have now beheld the power of God manifest- 
 ed, and the power of Satan ; you see that there is noth- 
 ing desirable in the works of darkness; that they can 
 not bring happiness; that those who are overcome there- 
 with are miserable ; while, on the other hand, the right- 
 eous are blessed with a place in the kingdom of God, 
 where joy unspeakable surrounds them. There they 
 rest beyond the power of the enemy of truth, where no 
 evil can disturb them. The glory of God crowns them, 
 and they continually feast upon his goodness and enjoy 
 his smiles. Behold, notwithstanding you have seen 
 this great display of power, by which you may ever be 
 able to detect the evil one, yet I give unto you another 
 sign, and when it comes to pass then know that the 
 Lord is God, and that he will fulfill his purposes, and 
 that the knowledge which this record contains will go 
 to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people 
 under the whole heaven. This is the sign; when these 
 things begin to be known; that is, when it is known 
 that the Lord has shown you these things, the workers 
 of iniquity will seek your overthrow. They will circu- 
 late falsehoods to destroy your reputation, and also will 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 15 
 
 seek to take you life; but remember this, if you are 
 faithful, and shall hereafter continue to keep the com- 
 mandments of the Lord, you shall be preserved to bring 
 these things forth; for in due time he will give you a 
 commandment to come and take them. When they are 
 interpreted, the Lord will give the holy priesthood to 
 some, and they shall begin to proclaim this gospel and 
 baptize by water, and after that, they shall have power 
 to give the Holy G-host by the laying on of their hands. 
 Then will persecution rage more and more, for the iniqui- 
 ties of men shall be revealed, and those who are not built 
 upon the Rock will seek to overthrow the church; but 
 it will increase the more opposed, and spread farther and 
 farther, increasing in knowledge till they shall be sanc- 
 tified, and receive an inheritance where the glory of God 
 will rest upon them; 'and when this takes place, and all 
 things are prepared, the ten tribes of Israel will be re- 
 vealed in the north country, whither they have been for 
 a long season; and when this is fulfilled will be brought 
 to pass that saying of the prophet, < And the Redeemer 
 shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from trans- 
 gressions in Jacob, saith the Lord/ But, notwithstand- 
 ing the workers of iniquity shall seek your destruction, 
 the arm of the Lord will be extended, and you will be 
 borne off conqueror, if you keep all his commandments. 
 Your name shall be known among the nations, for the 
 work which the Lord will perform by your hands shall 
 cause the righteous to rejoice and the wicked to rage; 
 with the one it shall be had in honor, and with the other 
 in reproach; yet with these it shall be a terror, because 
 of the great and marvelous work which shall follow the 
 coming forth of this fulness of the gospel. Now go thy 
 
16 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF ' 
 
 way, remembering what the Lord has done for thee, and 
 be diligent in keeping his commandments, and he will 
 deliver thee from temptations and all the arts and devices 
 of the wicked one. Forget not to pray, that thy mind 
 may become strong, arid when he shall manifest unto 
 thee thou mayest have power to escape the evil, and ob- 
 tain these precious things." 
 
 The above quotation is an extract from a letter 
 written by Elder Oliver Cowdery, which was published 
 in the "Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate" 
 
 Although many more instructions were given by the 
 mouth of the angel to Mr. Smith, which we do not write 
 in this book, yet the most important items are contained 
 in the foregoing relation. During the period of the four 
 following years he frequently received instructions from 
 the mouth of the heavenly messenger. And on the 
 morning of the 22d of September, A. D. 1827, the angel 
 of the Lord delivered the records into his hands. 
 
 These records were engraved on plates, which had 
 the appearance of gold. Each plate was not far from 
 seven by eight inches in width and length, being not 
 quite as thick as common tin. They were filled on both 
 sides with engravings, in Egyptian characters, and bound 
 together in a volume, as the leaves of a book, and fasten- 
 ed at one edge with three rings running through the 
 whole. This volume was something near six inches in 
 thickness, a part of which was sealed. * The characters 
 or letters upon the unsealed part were small, and beauti- 
 fully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks 
 of antiquity in its construction, as well as much skill in 
 
 * NOTE. Wm. B. Smith, brother to the prophet, says he saw 
 it weighed, and that it weighed sixty pounds. 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 17 
 
 the art of engraving. With the records was found "a 
 curious instrument, called by the ancients the Urim and 
 Thummim. This was in use in ancient times by persons 
 called Jseers. It was an instrument by the use of which 
 they received revelation of things distant, or of things 
 past or future/' 
 
 In the meantime the inhabitants of that vicinity 
 having been informed that Mr. Smith had seen heaven- 
 ly visions, and that he had discovered sacred records, 
 began to ridicule and mock at those things. And, after 
 having obtained those sacred things, while proceeding 
 home through the wilderness and fields, he was waylaid 
 by two ruffians, who had secreted themselves for the 
 purpose of fobbing him of the records. One of them 
 struck him with a club before he perceived them; but, 
 being a strong man, and large in stature, with great 
 exertion he cleared himself from them, and ran towards 
 home, being closely pursued until he came near his 
 father's house, when his pursuers, for fear of being 
 detected, turned and fled the other way. 
 
 Soon the news of his discoveries spread abroad 
 throughout all those parts. False reports, misrepre- 
 sentations, and base slanders flew as if upon the wings 
 of the wind in every direction. The house was fre- 
 quently beset by mobs and evil designing persons. 
 Several times he was shot at and very narrowly es- 
 caped. Every device was used to get the plates away 
 from him. And, being continually in danger of his life 
 from a gang of abandoned wretches, he at length con- 
 cluded to leave the place and go to Pennsylvania; and 
 accordingly packed up his goods, putting the plates into 
 a barrel of beans, and proceeded upon his journey. ' He 
 
18 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 had not gone far before he was overtaken by an officer 
 with a search warrant, who flattered himself with the 
 idea that he should surely obtain the plates; after search- 
 ing very diligently, he was sadly disappointed at not 
 finding them. Mr Smith then drove on ; but before he 
 got to his journey's end, he was again overtaken by an 
 officer on the same business, who, after ransacking the 
 wagon very carefully, went his way as much cha- 
 grined as the first at not being able to discover the 
 object of his search. Without any further molesta- 
 tion he pursued his journey until he came into the 
 northern part of Pennsylvania, near the Susquehannah 
 river, in which part his father-in-law resided. 
 
 Having provided himself with a home, he com- 
 menced translating the record by the gift and power of 
 God, through the means of the Urim and Thummim; 
 but, being a poor writer, he was under the necessity of 
 employing a scribe to write the translation as it came 
 from his mouth. 
 
 In the meantime a few of the original characters 
 were accurately transcribed and translated by Mr. 
 Smith, which, with the translation, were taken by a 
 gentleman by the name of Martin Harris, to the city 
 of New York, where they were presented to a learned 
 gentleman by the name of Anthon, who professed to be 
 extensively acquainted with many languages, both an- 
 cient and modern. He examined them, but was unable 
 to decipher them correctly, but he presumed that if the 
 original records could be brought, he could assist in 
 translating them. 
 
 But to return. Mr. Smith continued the work of 
 translation, as his pecuniary circumstances would permit, 
 
.JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 19 
 
 until he finished the unsealed part of the records. The 
 part translated is entitled the "Book of Mormon/' which 
 contains nearly as much reading as the Old Testament. 
 In this important and most interesting book we 
 can read the history of ancient America, from its early 
 settlement by a colony who came from the tower of 
 Babel at the confusion of languages, to the beginning 
 of the fifth century of the Christian era. By these 
 records we are informed that America in ancient times 
 was inhabited by two distinct races of people. The 
 first, or more ancient race, came directly from the great 
 tower, being called Jaredites. The second race came 
 directly from the city of Jerusalem about six hundred 
 years before Christ, being Israelites, principally the 
 descendants of Joseph. The first nation, or Jaredites, 
 were destroyed about the time that the Israelites came 
 from Jerusalem, who succeeded them in the inheritance 
 of the country. The principal nation of the second race 
 fell in battle towards the close of the fourth century. 
 The remaining remnant, having dwindled into an un- 
 civilized state, still continue to inhabit the land, although 
 divided into a "multitude of nations/' and are called by 
 Europeans the "American Indians." 
 
 We learn from this very ancient history, that at 
 the confusion of languages, when the Lord scattered the 
 people upon all the face of the earth, the Jaredites being 
 a righteous people, obtained favor in the sight of the 
 Lord, and were not confounded. And because of their 
 righteousness, the Lord miraculously led them from the 
 tower to the great ocean, where they were commanded 
 to build vessels, in which they were marvelously brought 
 across the great deep to the shores of North America. 
 
20 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 And the Lord God promised to give them America, 
 which was a very choice land in his sight, for an inheri- 
 tance. And he swore unto them in his wrath, that 
 whoso should possess this land of promise from that 
 time, henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true 
 and only God, or they should be swept off when the full- 
 ness of his wrath should come upon them, and they 
 were fully ripened in iniquity. Moreover, he promised 
 to make them a great and powerful nation, so that 
 there should be no greater nation upon all the face 
 of the earth. 
 
 Accordingly in process of time they became a very 
 numerous and powerful people, occupying principally 
 North America , and building large cities in all quarters 
 of the land, being a civilized and enlightened nation. 
 Agriculture and machinery were carried on to a great 
 extent. Commercial and manufacturing business flour- 
 ished on every hand ; yet, in consequence of wickedness, 
 they were often visited with terrible judgments. Many 
 prophets were raised up amongHhem from generation to 
 generation, who testified against the wickedness of the 
 people, and prophesied of judgments and calamities 
 which awaited them if they did not repent, &c. Some- 
 times they were visited by pestilence and plagues, and 
 sometimes by famine and war, until at length (having 
 occupied the land some fifteen or sixteen hundred years) 
 their wickedness became so great, that the Lord threat- 
 ened, by the mouth of his prophets to utterly destroy 
 them from the face of the land. But they gave no heed 
 to these warnings; therefore the word of the Lord was 
 fulfilled, and they were entirely destroyed, leaving their 
 houses, their cities and their lands desolate, and their 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 21 
 
 sacred records also, which were kept on gold plates were 
 left by one of their last prophets, whose name was Ether, 
 in such a situation that they were discovered by the 
 remnant of Joseph, who soon afterwards were brought 
 from Jerusalem to inherit the land. 
 
 This remnant of Joseph were also led in a miracu- 
 lous manner from Jerusalem, in the first year of the 
 reign of Zedekiah king of Judah. They were first 
 led to the eastern borders of the Bed Sea; then they 
 journeyed for some time along the borders thereof, nearly 
 in a southeast direction ; after which they altered their 
 course nearly eastward, until they came to the great 
 waters where, by the commandment of God, they built 
 a vessel in which they were safely brought across the 
 great Pacific ocean, and landed upon the western coast 
 of South America. 
 
 In the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, at 
 the time the Jews were carried away captive into Baby- 
 lon, another remnant were brought out of Jerusalem, 
 some of whom were descendants of Judah. They land- 
 ed in North America, but soon after emigrated into 
 the northern parts of South America, where. they were 
 discovered by the remnant of Joseph, something like 
 four hundred years afterwards. 
 
 From these ancient records we learn that this rem- 
 nant of Joseph, soon after they landed, separated them- 
 selves into two distinct nations. This division was 
 caused by a certain portion of them, because of their 
 righteousness, being greatly persecuted by the remain- 
 der. The persecuted nation emigrated towards the north- 
 ern parts of South America, leaving the wicked nation in 
 possession of the middle and southern parts of the same. 
 
22 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 The former were called Nephites, being led by a prophet 
 whose name was Nephi ; the latter were called Lamanites, 
 being led by a very wicked man whose name was Laman. 
 The Nephites had in their possession a copy of the Holy 
 Scriptures, viz : the five books of Moses, and the proph- 
 ecies of the holy prophets down to Jeremiah, in whose 
 days they left Jerusalem. These Scriptures were en- 
 graved on plates of brass in the Egyptian language. 
 They themselves also made plates soon after their land- 
 ing, on which they began to engrave their own history, 
 prophecies, visions, and revelations. All these sacred 
 records were kept by holy and righteous men, who were 
 inspired by the Holy Grhost, and were carefully pre- 
 served and handed down from generation to generation. 
 And the Lord gave unto them the whole continent 
 for a land of promise, and he promised that they and 
 their children after them should inherit it, on condition 
 of their obedience to his commandments; but if they 
 were disobedient, they should be cut off from his pres- 
 ence. And the Nephites began to prosper in the land 
 according to their righteousness, and they multiplied 
 and spread forth to the east, and west, and north; 
 building large villages, and cities, and synagogues, and 
 temples, together with forts and towers and fortifications 
 to defend themselves against their enemies. And they 
 cultivated the earth, and raised various kinds of grain 
 in abundance. They also raised numerous flocks of 
 domestic animals, and became a very wealthy people; 
 having in abundance gold, silver, copper, 'tin, iron, &c. 
 Arts and sciences flourished to a great extent. Various 
 kinds of machinery were in use. Cloths of various kinds 
 were manufactured. Swords, cimeters, axes and various 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 23 
 
 implements of war were made, together with head- 
 shields, arm-shields and breast-plates to defend them- 
 selves in battle with their enemies. And in the days of 
 their righteousness they were a civilized, enlightened 
 and happy people. 
 
 But, on the other hand, the Lamanites, because of 
 the hardness of their hearts, brought down many judg- 
 ments upon their own heads; nevertheless they were 
 not destroyed as a nation, but the Lord Grod sent forth 
 a curse upon them, and they became a dark, loathsome 
 and filthy people. Before their rebellion they were 
 white and exceedingly fair, like the Nephites; but the 
 Lord God cursed them in their complexions, and they 
 were changed to a dark color ; and they became a wild, 
 savage and ferocious people, being great enemies to the 
 Nephites, whom they sought by every means to destroy, 
 and many times came against them with their numerous 
 hosts to battle, but were repulsed by the Nephites and 
 driven back to their own possessions, not, however, 
 generally speaking, without great loss on both sides; for 
 tens of thousands were very frequently slain, after which 
 they were piled together in great heaps upon the face 
 of the ground and covered with a shallow covering of 
 earth, which will satisfactorily account for those ancient 
 mounds, filled with human bones, so numerous at the 
 present day, both in North and South America. 
 
 The second colony, which left Jerusalem eleven 
 years after the remnant of Joseph left that city, landed 
 in North America and emigrated from thence to the 
 northern parts of South America ; and about four hun- 
 dred years after they were discovered by the Nephites, 
 as we stated in the foregoing. 
 
24 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 They were called the people of Zarahemla. \ They 
 had been perplexed by many wars among themselves; 
 and, having brought no records with them, their lan- 
 guage had become corrupted, and they denied the being 
 of God; and at the time they were discovered by the 
 Nephites they were very numerous, and only in a partial 
 state of civilization ; but the Nephites united with them 
 and taught them the Holy Scriptures and they were 
 restored to civilization and became one nation with 
 them. And in process of time the Nephites began to 
 build ships near the Isthmus of Darien, and launch them 
 forth into the western ocean, in which great numbers 
 sailed a great distance to the northward, and began to 
 colonize North America. Other colonies emigrated by 
 land, and in a few centuries the whole continent became 
 peopled. North America at that time was almost entire- 
 ly destitute of timber, it paving been cut off by the 
 more ancient race, who came from the great tower at 
 the confusion of languages; but the Nephites became 
 very skillful in building houses of cement, also much 
 timber was carried by the way of shipping from South 
 to North America. They also planted groves and began 
 to raise timber, that in time their wants might be sup- 
 plied. Large cities were built in .various parts of the 
 continent, both among the Lamanites and Nephites. 
 The law of Moses was observed by the latter. Numerous 
 prophets were raised up from time to time throughout 
 their generations. .Many records, both historical and 
 prophetical, which were of great size, were kept among 
 them; some on plates of gold and other metals, and 
 some on other materials. The sacred records also of 
 the more ancient race who had been destroyed were 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 25 
 
 found by them. These were engraved on plates of gold. 
 They translated them into their own language by the gift 
 and power of G-od, through the means of the Urim and 
 Thummim. They contained an historical account from 
 the creation down to the Tower of Babel, and from that 
 time down until they were destroyed, comprising a period 
 of about thirty-four hundred or thirty-five hundred years. 
 They also contain many prophecies, great and marvel- 
 ous, reaching forward to the final end and consummation 
 of all things, and the creation of the new heaven and 
 new earth. 
 
 The prophets also among the Nephites prophesied 
 of great things. They opened the secrets of futurity, 
 and saw the coming of Messiah in the flesh, and proph- 
 esied of the blessing to come upon their descendants in 
 the latter times, and made known the history of unborn 
 generations, and unfolded the grand events of ages to 
 come, and viewed the power and glory and majesty of 
 Messiah's second advent, and beheld the establishment 
 of the kingdom of peace, and gazed upon the glories of 
 the day of righteousnes, and saw creation redeemed from 
 the curse, and all the righteous filled with songs of ever- 
 lasting joy. 
 
 The Nephites knew of the birth and crucifixion of 
 Christ, by certain celestial and terrestrial phenomena, 
 which, at those times, were shown forth in fulfillment of 
 the predictions of many of their prophets. Notwithstand- 
 ing the many blessings with which they had been blessed, 
 they had fallen into great wickedness, and had cast out 
 the Saints and the Prophets, and stoned and killed them. 
 Therefore, at the time of the crucifixion of Christ, they 
 were visited in great j udgment. Thick darkness covered 
 
26 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 the whole continent. The earth was terribly convulsed. 
 The rocks were rent into broken fragments, and after- 
 wards found in seams and cracks upon all the face of 
 the land. Mountains were sunk into valleys, and valleys 
 raised into mountains. The highways and level roads 
 were broken up and spoiled. Many cities were laid in 
 ruins. Others were buried up in the depths [of the 
 earth and mountains occupied their place, while oth- 
 ers were sunk and waters came up in their stead, and 
 others still were burned by fire from heaven. 
 
 Thus the predictions of their prophets were fulfilled 
 upon their heads. Thus the more wicked part, both of 
 the Nephites and Lamanites, were destroyed. Thus the 
 Almighty executed vengeance and fury upon them, that 
 the blood of the Saints and Prophets might no longer 
 cry from the ground against them. 
 
 Those who survived these terrible judgments were 
 favored with the personal ministry of Christ. For after 
 he arose from the dead, and finished his ministry at 
 Jerusalem, and ascended to heaven, he descended in the 
 presence of the Nephites, who were assembled round 
 about their temple in the northern parts of South 
 America. He exhibited to them his wounded hands, 
 and side, and feet; and commanded the law of Moses to 
 be abolished ; and introduced and established the Gospel 
 in its stead; and chose twelve disciples from among them 
 to administer the same; and instituted the sacrament; 
 and prayed for and blessed their little children; and 
 healed their sick, and blind, and lame, and deaf, and 
 those who were afflicted in any way, and raised a man 
 from the dead, and showed forth his power in their 
 midst; and expounded the Scriptures which had been 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 27 
 
 given from the beginning down to that time; and made 
 known unto them all things which should take place 
 down until he should come in his glory, and from that 
 time down to the end, when all people, nations and lan- 
 guages should stand before God to be judged, and the 
 heaven and the earth should pass away, and there should 
 be a new heaven and new earth. These teachings of 
 Jesus were engraved upon plates, some of which are con- 
 tained in the Book of Mormon ; but the more part are 
 not revealed in that book, but are hereafter to be made 
 manifest to the Saints. 
 
 After Jesus had finished ministering unto them he 
 ascended into heaven; and the twelve disciples, whom 
 he had chosen, went forth upon all the face of the land 
 preaching the gospel; baptizing those who repented, for 
 the remission of sins, after which they laid their hands 
 upon them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 
 Mighty miracles were wrought by them, and also by 
 many of the church. The Nephites and Lamanites were 
 all converted unto the Lord, both in South and North 
 America; and they dwelt in righteousness above three 
 hundred years ; but towards the close of the fourth cen- 
 tury of the Christian era, they had so far apostatized 
 from God, that he suffered great judgments to fall upon 
 them. The Lamanites, at that time, dwelt in South 
 America, and the Nephites in North America. 
 
 A great and terrible war commenced between them 
 which lasted for many years, and resulted in the com- 
 plete overthrow and destruction of the Nephites. This 
 war commenced at the Isthmus of Darien, and was very 
 destructive to both nations for many years. At length 
 the Nephites were driven before their enemies a great 
 
28 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 distance to the north and northeast; and having gather- 
 ed their whole nation together, both men, women and 
 children, they encamped on and round about the hill 
 Cumorah, where the records were found, which is in the 
 State of New York, about two hundred miles west of 
 the city of Albany. Here they were met by the numer- 
 ous hosts of the Lamanites, and were slain, and hewn 
 down, and slaughtered, both male and female the aged, 
 middle aged and children. Hundreds of thousands were 
 slain on both sides, and the nation of the Nephites were 
 destroyed, excepting a few who had deserted over to 
 the Lamanites, and a few who escaped into the south 
 country, and a few who fell wounded, and were left by 
 the Lamanites on the field of battle for dead, among 
 whom were Mormon and his son Moroni, who were 
 righteous men. 
 
 Mormon had made an abridgement from the records 
 of his forefathers upon plates, which abridgment he en- 
 titled the "Book of Mormon;" and, (being commanded 
 of God), he hid up in the hill Cumorah, all the sacred 
 records of his forefathers which were in his possession, 
 except the abridgment called the "Book of Mormon," 
 which he gave to his son Moroni to finish. Moroni 
 survived his nation a few years, and continued the writ- 
 ings, in which he informs us that the Lamanites hunted 
 those few Nephites who escaped the great and tremen- 
 dous battle of Cuniorah, until they were all destroyed, 
 excepting those who were mingled with the Lamanites, 
 and that he was left alone, and kept himself hid, for they 
 sought to destroy every Nephite who would cot deny 
 the Christ. He furthermore states that the Lamanites 
 were at war with one another, and that the whole face 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEER. 29 
 
 of the land was one continual scene of murdering, rob- 
 bing and plundering. He continued the history until 
 the four hundred and twentieth year of the Christian 
 era, when, (by the commandment of G-od), he hid up 
 the records in the hill Cumorah, where they remained 
 concealed until, by the ministry of an angel, they were 
 discovered to Mr. Smith, who, by the gift and power of 
 God, translated them into the English language, by the 
 means of the Urim and Thummim, as stated in the fore- 
 going. 
 
 After the book was translated, the Lord raised up 
 witnesses to bear testimony to the nations of its truth, 
 who, at the close of the volume, send forth their testi- 
 mony, which reads as follows : 
 
 TESTIMONY OF THREE WITNESSES. 
 
 "Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, 
 unto whom this work shall come, that we, through the grace of 
 God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates 
 which contain this record, which is a record of the people of 
 Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, their brethren, and also of the 
 people of Jared, who came from the tower of which hath been 
 spoken ; and we also know that they have been translated by the 
 gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us ; 
 wherefore we know of a surety that the work is true. And we 
 also testify that we have seen the engravings which are upon the 
 plates ; and they have been shown unto us by the power of God, 
 and not of man. And we declare, with words of soberness, that 
 an angel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid 
 before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the en- 
 gravings thereon ; and we know that it is by the grace of God the 
 Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear rec- 
 ord that these things are true ; and it is marvelous in our eyes, 
 nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should 
 bear record of it ; wherefore, to be obedient unto the command- 
 
30 REMARKABLE VISIONS OF 
 
 ments of God, we bear testimony of these things. And we know 
 that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the 
 blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgment seat 
 of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens. And 
 the honor be to the Father, and the Son, and to the Holy G-host, 
 which is one God. Amen. OLIVER COWDERY, 
 
 DAVID WHITMER, 
 MARTIN HARRIS." 
 
 AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF ^EIGHT WITNESSES. 
 
 "Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, 
 unto whom this work shall come, that Joseph Smith, Jr, the 
 translator of this work, has shown unto us the plates of which 
 hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold , and as 
 many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did handle 
 with our hands ; and we also saw the engraviegs thereon, all of 
 which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious work- 
 manship. And this we bear record with words of soberness, that 
 the said Smith has shown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, 
 and know of a surety that the said Smith has got the plates of 
 which we have spoken. And we give our names unto the world, 
 to witness unto the world that which we have seen ; and we lie 
 not, God bearing witness of it. 
 
 CHRISTIAN WHITMER, JACOB WHITMER, 
 
 PETER WHITMER, JR., JOHN WHITMER, 
 
 HIRAM PAGE, JOSEPH SMITH, SEN., 
 
 HIRAM SMITH, SAMUEL H. SMITH." 
 
 Also in the year 1829, Mr. Smith and Mr. Cowdery 
 having learned the correct mode of baptism from the 
 teachings of the Savior to the ancient Nephites, as re- 
 corded in the "Book of Mormon," had a desire to be 
 baptized; but knowing that no one had authority to 
 administer that sacred ordinance in any denomination, 
 they were at a loss to know how the authority was to be 
 restored, and while calling upon the Lord with a desire 
 to be informed on the subject, a holy angel appeared 
 
JOSEPH SMITH THE SEEE. 31 
 
 and stood before them, and laid his hands upon their 
 heads and ordained them, and commanded them to bap- 
 tize each other, which they accordingly did. 
 
 In the year 1830, a large edition of the "Book of 
 Mormon" first appeared in print. And as some began 
 to peruse its sacred pages, the Spirit of the Lord bore 
 record to them that it was true ; and they were obedient 
 to its requirements, by coming forth, humbly repenting 
 before the Lord, and being immersed in water, for the 
 remission of sins, after which, by the commandment of 
 God, hands were laid upon them in the name of the Lord, 
 for the gift of the Holy Spirit. 
 
 And on the sixth of April, in the year of our Lord 
 one thousand eight hundred and thirty, the "Church of 
 Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" was organized, in 
 the town of Manchester, Ontario County, State of New 
 York, North America. Some few were called and or- 
 dained by the Spirit of revelation and prophecy, and 
 began to preach and bear testimony as the Spirit gave 
 them utterance ; and although they were the weak things 
 of the earth, yet they were strengthened by the Holy 
 Ghost, and gave forth their testimony in great power, 
 by which means many were brought to repentance, and 
 came forward with broken hearts and contrite spirits, 
 and were immersed in water, confessing their sins, and 
 were filled with the Holy Ghost by the laying on of 
 hands, and saw visions and prophesied. Devils were 
 cast out, and the sick were healed by the prayer of faith 
 and laying on of hands. Thus was the word confirmed 
 unto the faithful by signs following. Thus the Lord 
 raised up witnesses to bear testimony of his name, and 
 lay the foundation of his kingdom in the last days. 
 
32 REMARKABLE VISIONS. 
 
 And thus the hearts of the Saints were comforted and 
 filled with great joy. In the foregoing we have related 
 the most important facts concerning the visions and the 
 ministry of the angel to Mr. Smith; the discovery of the 
 records; their translation into the English language, 
 and the witnesses raised up to bear testimony of the 
 same. 
 
 We have also stated when, and by whom they were 
 written ; that they contain the history of nearly one-half 
 of the globe, from the earliest ages after the flood until 
 the beginning of the fifth century of the Christian era; 
 that this history is interspersed with many important 
 prophecies which unfold the great events of the last 
 days, and that in it also is recorded the gospel in its 
 fullness and plainness as it was revealed by the personal 
 ministry of Christ to the ancient Nephites. We have 
 also given an account of the restoration of the authority 
 in these days, to administer in the ordinances of the 
 gospel, and of the time of the organization of the church, 
 and of the blessings poured out upon the same while yet 
 in its infancy. 
 
AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. 33 
 
 AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. 
 
 A short time since a notice was published in the 
 city papers that there would be an exhibition and a lec- 
 ture delivered by the Rev. R. M. Miller, in the first 
 Presbyterian Church, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, upon 
 some Indian relics lately discovered in some mounds 
 near Newark, Ohio, containing Hebrew inscriptions, 
 and as a matter of course I attended the lecture, as all 
 Latter Day Saints feel considerable interest in all the 
 testimony pertaining to the ancient inhabitants of this 
 land; not because they are any way in the dark upon 
 the history of the past in relation to them, but because 
 additional testimony strengthens the evidence in regard 
 to the divine authenticity of the Bcok of Mormon, in 
 which they have perfect assurance as being a sacred rec- 
 ord, containing the covenant for the gathering of Israel, in 
 conformity with the testimony of the prophets. 
 
 The reverend gentleman commenced his lecture by 
 giving a general description of the mounds and ancient 
 fortifications in Ohio and the western country. He said 
 that it was estimated there were in the state of Ohio, 
 alone, ten thousand of them. He gave a very clear and 
 distinct description of the situation and construction of 
 several of them in^the neighborhood of Newark, Ohio, 
 from whence the relics he exhibited were obtained. I 
 believe the mounds were from ten to twelve miles apart, 
 where they were found. 
 
34 AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. 
 
 The first piece he exhibited was a stone head, (or 
 rather a photograph of it), which was cut off of the neck, 
 close to the ears. On the forehead was written, in He- 
 brew, "May the Lord have mercy upon an untimely 
 birth." He gave it as his opinion that the person who 
 had it deposited with his remains, had been executed, 
 perhaps decapitated. There was charcoal and burnt bones 
 of animals and men in the debris. The original is in the 
 possession of Mr. Tennant, of Newark, Ohio. It was 
 found in a mound three miles from Newark. In the 
 same mound was found a three cornered piece, upon 
 which was carved two human faces and an animal. On 
 the forehead of one of the figures of a human face was a 
 phylacter, in the form of a skull, upon which was carved 
 the letter used to denote the name of the Almighty. On 
 the forehead of the other carved human figure was writ- 
 ten in Hebrew, "It is good to love the aged." On the 
 side of the animal was written in Hebrew something de- 
 noting natural depravity. The reverend gentleman said 
 it was the same as found in Jeremiah; "The heart is de- 
 ceitful," &c. Mr. Strock, of Newark owns this. 
 
 The third piece was in the shape of a wedge. On 
 one side was written, in Hebrew: 
 
 First side. "The Lord is king of all the earth." 
 
 Second side. " The sword of the Lord is tJie law" 
 
 Third side. "The Holy of Holies" 
 
 Fourth side. " The Jew of life is the Lord awaking 
 souls" 
 
 The fourth piece was what he called a Teraphim, 
 a household god, and quoted Judges xvii. to prove it. 
 
 This is a stone about eight inches long, three wide 
 and two thick. There is a depression on one side of 
 
AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. 35 
 
 about half an inch deep, and in the depression there is 
 cut the figure of a man dressed in priestly robes, and 
 over his head, in the depression, is written the word 
 " Moses?' and in lines on the back and edges is written 
 in Hebrew the ten commandments to Israel, written 
 upon the tables of stone by the finger of the Lord and 
 given to Moses upon the mount. There is some little 
 difference between it and the version of it we have in 
 the "Bible. It is a little more brief. For instance it 
 says, " Who brought thee from the land of bondage" 
 and "Six days slialt thou labor." In our version we 
 have this addition: "And do all tliy work" These are 
 all I can now remember, but I thought the brevity made 
 them more perfect. 
 
 This Teraphim was found about two and a half miles 
 from Newark, near the base of a very large mound. This 
 mound is composed of stones, and it is thought that 
 20,000 wagon loads were carried away, some years ago, 
 to build the canal. It was 400 feet at the base and 
 50 feet high. Near its base a small mound was noticed, 
 which was composed entirely of fire clay, and some of 
 the men at work in that neighborhood thought for curi- 
 osity that they would dig into it, and see if any thing 
 particular was in it. The person dug until he came to 
 a piece of wood, upon which he found some copper beads. 
 He took them away and of course exhibited them. This 
 aroused the curiosity of another party, and some two or 
 three persons went and made further search into the fire 
 <jlay. Upon lifting up the wood it proved to be the 
 lid of a box, lined inside with some kind of coarse cloth, 
 but so entirely rotten that it crumbled at the touch. 
 The box contained a skeleton and what had been a neck- 
 
36 AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. 
 
 lace of copper beads, but the string was also rotten. The 
 party removed the wooden box, and began to dig some 
 deeper. They soon struck a stone box of an oblong 
 shape, cemented together in the middle. They shook 
 and found it contained something, as it rattled when 
 shaken. They forced it open and found its contents to 
 be the Teraphim, or image, having these Hebrew in- 
 scriptions upon it. If I remember correctly this was, 
 found in the year 1865, the others some year or two be- 
 fore. This Teraphim is now the property of Mr. David 
 Johnson of Coshocton, Ohio. The Rev. Miller seems 
 to be a good Hebrew scholar, as he read and criticised 
 the language in the presence of sey.eral of the theological 
 professors of the Presbyterian College of Alleghany City. 
 He stated that he had taken them to Cincinnati and 
 shown them to several learned Eabbies, and they were 
 agreed that the Hebrew characters were of a date be- 
 yond the time of Ezra. He described on a board the 
 difference of the formation of the letters before and after 
 that period. 
 
 I will not repeat their theories and conjectures re- 
 specting the "wanderings of the Israelites to reach this 
 land, but this he said was his conclusion : 
 
 First. That some of the tribes, or parts of tribes 
 of Israel, had once inhabited this land. 
 
 Second. That they were mound builders. But 
 whether the modern Indians are their descendents, or 
 whether they had destroyed the Israelites he could not 
 say; but if the Indians are not the descendants of the 
 mound builders, but had extirpated them then the 
 question remains, where did these Indians come from 
 and who are they? 
 
ANCIENT ISRAELITES. 37 
 
 My own conclusion respecting these things is that 
 of every Latter Day Saint. The relics were hid up in 
 the providence of God, as collateral testimony of the 
 Latter Day Work, and especially of the Book of Mormon. 
 
 JOSIAII ELLS. 
 
 Pittsburg, Pa,, Aug. 12, 1866. 
 
 CURIOUS RELICS ANCIENT ISRAELITES] 
 IN AMERICA. 
 
 "We are all more or less acquainted with the so- 
 called 'Indian Mounds/ found in various parts of our 
 country. There are hundreds of them in Ohio alone, 
 several near Newark, Licking County. Pipes, copper 
 beads strung upon a vegetable fibre, human skeletons, 
 skulls, bones of animals and birds, some charred by fire, 
 as if they had been sacrificed upon a burning pile, have 
 been obtained from them. For centuries it has been a 
 most interesting subject of inquiry as to who built these 
 mounds and whence came their builders. Within the 
 past few years some relics have been discovered which 
 are thought to throw light on the subject: 
 
 The first is a little coarse sandstone, not quite an 
 inch and a half high by about two inches long. It was 
 found in the 'Wilson Mound/ and bears the face of a 
 human being. On the forehead are five distinct Hebrew 
 characters, which are interpreted to mean : "May the 
 Lord have mercy on him (or me) an untimely birth," 
 evidently an expression of humiliation. 
 
 The second relic from the same mound is a stone 
 
38 ANCIENT ISRAELITES, 
 
 closely resembling limestone. It is rather triangular 
 than square in its form, and yet it differs widely from 
 both. It represents an animal and contains four human 
 faces and three inscriptions in Hebrew, signifying de- 
 votion, reverence and natural depravity. 
 
 The third stone was found in 1860, about three 
 miles from Newark. It is shaped like a wedge and 
 is about six inches long, tapering at the end. On one 
 end is a handle and at tbe top are four Hebrew inscrip- 
 tions. 
 
 The last relic is an object of much interest. It was 
 found in 1860, and has engraved upon it a figure of 
 Moses and the Ten Commandments.' One side is de- 
 pressed and the reverse side protrudes. Over the figure 
 is a Hebrew word signifying "Moses/' The other in- 
 scriptions are almost literally the words found in some 
 parts of the Bible, and the Ten Commandments are 
 given in part and entirely the longest being abbrevi- 
 ated. The alphabet used, it is thought, is the original 
 Hebrew one, as there are letters known in the Hebrew 
 alphabet now in use, but bearing a resemblance to them. 
 All things on this stone point to the time before Ezra, 
 * to the lost tribes of Israel, and the theory is that some 
 one of these tribes found their way into this continent 
 and settled where the State of Ohio now exists. From 
 the Prophetic Watchman, Sept. 14, 1866. 
 
 * It appears that "the alphabet used, it is thought, is the original 
 Hebrew," and why do the Hebrew scholars who have examined the in- 
 scriptions only think so, and why are they not certain about it ? Evident- 
 ly because there is only in part a resemblance between the letters in these 
 inscriptions and the most ancient Hebrew alphabet of which Hebrew 
 scholars have a perfect knowledge. The facts developed by these discov- 
 eries, coincide perfectly with a statement of Mormon in Book of Mor- 
 mon chap. 4, par. 3, who says : "If our plates had been sufficiently large 
 we should have written in Hebrew, but the Hebrew hath been altered by 
 us also." 
 
HEBREW RELICS. 39 
 
 THE HEBREW EELICS. 
 
 [These two inscribed stones have been sent to New York by their 
 discoverer and proprietor, Mr. David Wyrick, of Newark, Ohio, to Mr. 
 Dwight to be submitted by him to the examination of the learned, accom- 
 panied with full accounts of the discovery, and maps and drawings illus- 
 trating the place and circumstances.] 
 
 We suppose that many if not most of our readers 
 have seen, in religious as well as in secular papers, the 
 accounts of some relics which were found a few months 
 ago in a mound near Newark, Ohio. These relics con- 
 sist of stones of strange shapes, bearing Hebrew inscrip- 
 tions, which makes the case particularly interesting to 
 me, as a Hebrew. I have read, therefore, with great in- 
 terest, all that has been published concerning them, and 
 studied the opinions of different men of science and learn- 
 ing, who have expressed them in public; but I desired 
 to see the objects themselves, to put my finger on these 
 relics, which bear [inscriptions of the holy language 
 which once was written with the finger of God upon 
 tables of stone; a language spoken and written by the, 
 prophets of Israel, who predicted the main features, not 
 only'of the history of Israel but also of the world at 
 large. It is one of the peculiar and natural character- 
 istics of the Jews to feel a sacred awe for that language, 
 and even for "the square characters" in which it is writ- 
 ten ; so that every written or printed Hebrew page is 
 
40 HEBREW RELICS. 
 
 called "Shemos," by which the people mean to saj, a 
 paper on which holy names are printed or written. A 
 pious Jew would never use any Hebrew book or paper 
 for any secular purpose whatever, and carefully picks up 
 every bit and burns it. Being now, by the grace of G-od, 
 an ,"Israelite Indeed," believing in Him concerning 
 whom Moses and the prophets did write, that sacred 
 language has increas3d in its charming influence upon 
 my mind, this may explain my anxiety to see those rel- 
 ics with the Hebrew inscriptions, without, however, en- 
 tertaining the least hope of ever having that wish re- 
 alized. This time, however, I was gladly disappointed ; 
 for, in calling a few days ago on my friend, Mr. Theodore 
 D wight, (the Recording Secretary of the "American 
 Ethnological Society/' and my associate in the editor- 
 ship of this magazine), my eyes met with the very ob- 
 jects of my desire. That I examined these antiquities 
 carefully none of our readers will, I think, entertain any 
 doubt. I recognized all the letters except one, (the 
 crying though the forms of many of them are different 
 from those now in use. This, however, is not the case 
 with the stone found first, (viz,, in July, 1860), which 
 has the form of an ancient jar, bearing Hebrew inscrip- 
 tions on its four sides, which are perfectly in such char- 
 acters as those generally in use now. I cannot form any 
 opinion concerning the use or meaning of this which 
 was found first, as the inscriptions do not lead to any 
 suggestions whatever. They are as follows: 1. "Debar 
 Jehova " (meaning the Word of Jehova). 2. "Kodesh 
 Kodeshim," (The Holy of Holies). 3. " Thorath Jeho- 
 vah," (The Law of Jehovah), [and 4. "Melelc Arctz," 
 (King of the Earth ^ 
 
HEBREW RELICS. : 41 
 
 What was it intended for ? Is it, as some suppose, 
 a relic of ancient Freemasonry ? We cannot concur with 
 that idea ; because the first question which would suggest 
 itself to our mind is: How did this relic get into a 
 mound of the ancient Indians; and this, too, at such a 
 considerable depth, and altogether singular ? We must 
 leave the solution of this problem to after-days, when 
 men of industry and love for antiquities shall perhaps 
 succeed in discovering more relics, by which tke present 
 ones may find an explanation. 
 
 This, however, is not the case with that before men- 
 tioned, which was found on the first of November last. 
 It is evident at least to my mind that the writer, or 
 carver, intended to perpetuate the essence of the Di- 
 vine law, which could not have been done in a better 
 way than by engraving it on a stone of such a nature 
 as should be able to resist all influences of the destroying 
 tooth of time. It is also evident to my mind that the 
 writer was not a Jew or an Israelite, as some suppose, 
 but a proselyte, one who had been taught by a Hebrew, 
 and perhaps converted to abandon his idols, to believe 
 in one living and invisible God, and to keep his com- 
 mandments. My reasons for believing the writer not to 
 have been a Jew, are briefly these: 1. The veneration 
 which the Hebrews, of all classes, pay to the Holy 
 Scriptures, and particularly to the five books of Moses is 
 so great, that the slightest alteration, even of a point, is 
 considered sinful; and the roll from which they read in 
 the synagogue, in which is found any alteration, trans- 
 position of letter, or incorrectness as, for instance, a chetli 
 instead of a Aory, must be immediately laid by, and not 
 allowed to be used, until corrected. A Hebrew, there- 
 
42 HEBREW RELICS. 
 
 fore, who knew how to write the Ten Commandments, 
 would have either written them perfectly, or not at all; 
 and as there are many mistakes in that engraving, some 
 letters entirely wanting, some transposed, and some su- 
 perfluous, I conclude the writer was not a Hebrew. 2. 
 The order, or rather disorder, in which the Ten Com- 
 mandments are engraved of which we have nothing of 
 a similar kind elsewhere proves that the author was . 
 not a Hebrew. 3. The presence of a human figure, how- 
 ever, is the strongest objection against the supposition 
 that the writer was a Hebrew. Though, in more recent 
 times, after the invention of printing, the Jews began to 
 imitate the Gentiles in having the figure of Moses, 
 Aaron, David, and Solomon on the title-pages of their 
 printed Bibles and prayer-books, yet, in ancient days 
 the age when this stone must have been prepared 
 no Hebrew would have dared to carve any human figure, 
 even that of Moses, in connection with the Ten Com- 
 mandments. That this figure led to a fatal mistake is 
 evident from the fact that the Rev. and learned John 
 W. McCarty, of Newark, Ohio, who first deciphered 
 and read the inscription, read the word 'Moshe Moses 
 over the head of the figure, in connection with the 
 next line on the bas-relief, commencing: u Who brought 
 thee out from the land of Egypt," thus making Moses 
 instead of Jehovah, the real deliverer of Israel. 
 
 The discovery of that very remarkable antiquity 
 confirmed me in my opinion, not that the aborigines of 
 America are of Hebrew descent, but that, at some remote 
 age, and in some now unknown way, one or more pious 
 and distinguished Hebrews came over to this continent, 
 became the teachers of some of the wild tribes of Amer- 
 
HEBREW RELICS. 43 
 
 ica, and thus introduced not only the knowledge of the 
 true and living Jehovah but to some extent Jewish, or 
 rather Mosaic, rites and ceremonies also. This, I think, 
 is the real reason why, after the invasion of this conti- 
 nent by the priest-ridden and fanatic Spaniards and 
 Portuguese, so many things resembling Judaism and the 
 belief in one who came to enlighten them, but who de- 
 parted, and promised to come again, was found among 
 the southern tribes of Indians, and all pictures, engrav- 
 ings, and signs of it were destroyed by superstitious 
 priests and monks. 
 
 One, or a number of those believing Indians, see- 
 ing that, in the absence of their teachers, the people 
 were falling gradually back into their old Pagan habits, 
 became alarmed; and fearing that in a short time all 
 would be forgotten and lost, concluded to preserve, at 
 least, the essence of faith by engraving it on a table of 
 stone. They did it with the best of their knowledge of 
 the Hebrew writing, as well as of the construction of 
 the passage. 
 
 The form of the characters is neither the modern 
 Hebrew, (adopted by the High council in consequence 
 of the fact that the "Cuthiyiun," or Samaritans, adopt- 
 ed the ancient Hebrew), nor is it the Samaritan, which 
 shows again that the writer or writers had already for- 
 gotten much. Of one thing, however, I am morally 
 convinced, that this stone is a genuine relic of antiqui- 
 ty, as it would be a greater difficulty to believe in the 
 invention of stich a strange mixture of characters, disor- 
 der of combination, and innocent blunders, than to be- 
 lieve it the handiwork of a generation long since passed 
 away. Gr. R. LEDERER, in "Israelite Indeed" May, 1861 . 
 
44 ANTIQUARIAN EVIDENCE. 
 
 VALUE OF ANTIQUARIAN EVIDENCE. 
 
 Froni these and from other relics, as well as from 
 the confirmatory traditions of the Indian tribes and 
 nations, as related to the whites, it is plainly evident 
 that the testimony existing outside of the Book of Mor- 
 mon is alone sufficient to establish the claim of the book 
 that the ancient inhabitants of America did possess a 
 knowledge of the Hebrew language, and that, in a 
 modified form, they wrote it upon enduring substances, 
 some of which, as shown, remain unto this day. 
 
 And this claim was made by the book, translated 
 and published thirty years before these relics were found 
 or known, and at a time when such an idea concerning 
 the origin of the aborigines of this country was not even 
 thought of by the world. Hence this outside testimony 
 is such that it confirms fully the claim made ; for it can 
 neither be fitted to any other use nor be otherwise 
 rationally accounted for or interpreted. 
 
 And, not only do science and research show that 
 those ancient people had a knowledge of the Hebrew, 
 but it also brings abundant proof to substantiate another 
 claim of the book, namely that they also, understood the 
 Egyptian language. In Mosiah 1:1, it is said that 
 Lehi was learned in that language, and that he taught 
 it to his children. According to the book the Nephites 
 and Lamanites must have been conversant with it, and, in 
 
ANTIQUARIAN EVIDENCE. 45 
 
 all probability, they adopted some of the customs, habits^ 
 sciences and arts of Egypt, and were governed by them 
 after their arrival in America. 
 
 In substantiation of this, yet unknown to the writ- 
 ers of the corroborative evidence, is the language of the 
 antiquarian students and explorers of our day. Mr. 
 Delafield, in his Antiquities of America, pages 41 and 
 42, writes concerning the ancient inhabitants of this 
 land as follows : 
 
 "Still further and more important evidence! renders the point 
 conclusive that Southern Asia was the birth place of this people ; 
 as we detect among them actual traditions of the flood, the build- 
 ing of Babel and of the death of Abel. * * One of the most 
 interesting sources of comparison between Mexico, Peru and 
 Egypt, is to be found in an investigation of their hieroglyphic 
 system. Each of these countries has a peculiar method of record- 
 ing events by means of hieroglyphic signs, sculpturing them on 
 monuments and buildings and portraying them on papyrus." 
 
 He further mentions the correspondence that Baron 
 Humboldt remarked as existing between the Mexican 
 paintings and the writings of Egypt, and adds, on page 
 46 of his own book, that it is his opinion that further 
 investigations will exhibit "a closer analogy between tHe 
 Mexican hieroglyphic paintings and the Egyptian/' and 
 that he finds three kinds of hieroglyphics "common to 
 both Mexico and Egypt." 
 
 For further antiquarian evidence we have not space, 
 yet many pages might be presented, much of which, 
 however, can be found elsewhere, without our transcend- 
 ing the bounds allowed in this small work; 
 
46 THREE WITNESSES. 
 
 THE THREE WITNESSES. 
 
 In addition to the valuable antiquarian evidence 
 herein adduced, and much more that might he, as to 
 the divine mission of Joseph Smith, there stands the 
 solemn and unrecalled testimony of the three witnesses > 
 and also of the eight witnesses, whose names and their 
 depositions are found on page 30 of this pamphlet. 
 These all asserted and affirmed the divine revelation of 
 the book. And, in connection with their testimonies 
 given on that page, we present the fact that these men 
 never swerved from that witness; but, through all the 
 persecution, tribulation, infirmity, old age, and even unto 
 death, they repelled with indignation all efforts made to 
 have them recant and say that their testimonies were 
 liesi 
 
 Of the first one of the three witnesses, Oliver Cow- 
 dery, it is said that up to the time of his death, which 
 occurred in 1849, he never deviated from his testimony 
 concerning the Book of Mormon, but bore the same 
 witness to the end, namely that it was given of Grod, 
 and that the work established under Joseph Smith was 
 also divine. 
 
 David Whitmer is living yet, (1879), and he has 
 never recalled his testimony concerning the Book of 
 Mormon, but has ever, with great cheerfulness and joy, 
 loved to converse on God's work, and especially to tell 
 
THREE WITNESSES. 47 
 
 the circumstances surrounding the coming forth of the 
 Book of Mormon, and to relate his experiences therein, 
 declaring the same things about it that he did when 
 he first subscribed to the divine presentation of the 
 plates to himself and his fellow witnesses ; as heretofore 
 recorded in this book. One of his latest reported con- 
 versations was in September 1878, when he was inter- 
 viewed at his home in Richmond, Missouri. In answer 
 to the question as to when he saw the plates, the angel, 
 the other records, etc., he replied : 
 
 "It was in June, 1829, the latter part of the month, and the 
 eight witnesses saw them, I think, a day or two after we did. 
 Joseph himself showed the plates to the eight witnesses, but the 
 angel showed them to us, the three witnesses. Martin Harris 
 was not with us this (the first) time but he obtained a view of 
 them afterwards the same day. We not only saw the plates of 
 the Book of Mormon but also the brass plates, and the plates of 
 the Book of Ether, and the plates containing the records of the 
 wickedness and secret combinations of the world down to the 
 time of their being engraved, and also many other plates. * * 
 We were overshadowed by a light, one not like the light of the 
 sun or of a fire, but one more glorious and beautiful. It extend- 
 ed away around us, and in the midst of the light there appeared, 
 as it were, a table, with many plates or records upon it besides 
 the plates of the Book of Mormon; also the sword of Laban, and 
 the directors, (that is the ball which Lehi had), and the interpre- 
 ter. I saw them just as plainly as I see this bed, (striking with 
 his hand the bed by which he sat), and I heard the voice of the 
 Lord as distinctly as I ever heard any thing in my life, declaring 
 that the records of the plates of the Book of Mormon were trans- 
 lated by the gift and power of God." 
 
 In answer to the question if he saw the angel of the 
 Lord at that time he replied : 
 
 "Yes, he stood before us. Our testimony as recorded is 
 strictly and absolutely true, just as it is written/ 7 
 
48 THREE WITNESSES. 
 
 Martin Harris, the third one of the three witnesses, 
 died a few years ago, and, up to the time of his departure 
 for another world, his witness remained the same; and 
 he asserted with vigor and energy the divinity of the 
 Book of Mormon, as revealed to him by the angel and 
 the voice of Go$, just as the other two say. In a let- 
 ter written by him in 1870, he said : 
 
 "No man ever heard me in any way deny either the Book 
 of Mormon, or the administration of the angel that showed me 
 the plates, or the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of 
 Latter Day Saints under the administration of Joseph Smith, Jr., 
 the prophet, whom the Lord raised up for that purpose in these 
 latter days, that he might show forth his power and glory. The 
 Lord has shown me these things by his Spirit, and by the admin- 
 istration of angels, and confirmed, the same with signs following 
 for the space of forty years. * * I do say that the angel did 
 show me the plates containing the Book of Mormon, and further 
 that the translation that I carried to Prof. Anthon was copied 
 from those plates." Saint-s* Herald, yol. 22, page 630. 
 
 It would seem that any reasonable person should 
 be satisfied to receive these testimonies and to examine 
 for themselves, and to inquire of God himself for a 
 knowledge of the truth of these things, even to call up- 
 on Him of whom it is said : 
 
 "If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth 
 to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. 
 But let him ask in faith nothing wavering." James 1 : 6-8. 
 
 That these truths may find favor with the honest 
 in heart and with those who desire to know God, is our 
 prayer. Amen. 
 
 Printed at the Herald Office, Piano, Kendall Co., Illinois. 
 

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