Page:Biography and Family Record of Lorenzo Snow monochrome.djvu/166

 marvelous work which shall follow the coming forth of this fulness of the Gospel. Now, go thy way, remembering what the Lord hath 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, that when He shall manifest unto thee thou mayest have power to escape the evil and obtain these precious things.

During the following four years he frequently received instruction from the mouth of this heavenly messenger, and on the 22d of September, 1827, the records were placed in his hands.

They were engraved in Egyptian characters on plates having the appearance of gold, and measuring about seven or eight inches in length and breadth; not quite so thick as ordinary tin. All were held together by three rings, and formed a volume of about six inches in thickness; one portion of which was sealed; the characters or letters on the unsealed part were very diminutive, but perfectly engraved.

By the gift and power of God, Mr. Smith translated them into the English language, but as he could not write well, he received the aid of a person who wrote down the translation which he gave by word of mouth. This important work is called the Book of Mormon, from the name of an ancient Prophet who by divine commandment had been engaged in its compilation. We there find an account of two distinct races who inhabited the American continent.

The first came from the Tower of Babel; but after fifteen or sixteen centuries their iniquity became so great that they were entirely destroyed, even as the Lord had threatened them by the mouth of holy Prophets, the last of whom left their history engraved on plates of gold. These were found by the second race, who were a remnant of Joseph, led forth in a miraculous manner from Jerusalem during the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah. Their history is brought down to the year four hundred and twenty of the