Page:The Rocky Mountain Saints.djvu/52

18 that that Prophet was Christ, but the day had not yet come when ('they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people,' but soon would come.

"He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the 28th to the last verse. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be.  And he further stated the fulness of the Gentiles was soon to come in.  He quoted many other passages of Scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here.  Again, he told me that when I had got those plates of which he had spoken (for the time that they should be obtained was not yet fulfilled), I should not show them to any person, neither the breastplate with the Urim and Thummim, only to those to whom I should be commanded to show them; if I did, I should be destroyed.  While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I should see the place where they were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew it again when I visited it."

After this, the light in the room immediately began to encircle the person of the angel, and "a conduit opened right up into heaven, and the angel ascended until he entirely disappeared."

Twice more during the night the messenger appeared in the same manner, and rehearsed the same things, adding at the third visit a caution to the effect that Satan, on account of father Smith's indigent circumstances, would tempt the son to get the plates for mercenary purposes, but that no other object than the glory of God was to be entertained in obtaining them, and that if he were influenced by any other motive than a desire to build up the kingdom, they could not be obtained at all. These interviews would appear to have continued through the whole night, and at daybreak Joseph arose and went to his labour, but was so exhausted and unwell that his father insisted on his returning home. In essaying to do so, he attempted to cross a fence, but his strength failed him; he fell helpless to the ground, and for a time was perfectly unconscious. The first thing which he recollected was hearing his name called, when he looked up and beheld the same messenger standing over his head, surrounded by light as before. All that had been related during the night was again told him, with the instruction to tell his father of the vision and the commandments that he had received. He returned and did so, and his father replied that it was of God, and bade him go and do as directed by the messenger. Joseph immediately repaired