JOSEPH OBTAINS THE PLATES.
On the twentieth of September, Mr. Knight and his friend Stoal,
came to see how we were managing matters with Stoddard and Co.; and
they tarried with us until the twenty-second. On the night of the
twenty-first, I sat up very late, as my work rather pressed upon my
hands. I did not retire until after twelve o'clock at night. About
twelve o'clock, Joseph came to me, and asked me if I had a chest with
a lock and key. I knew in an instant what he wanted it for, and not
having one, I was greatly alarmed, as I thought it might be a matter of
considerable moment. But Joseph, discovering my anxiety, said, "Never
mind, I can do very well for the present without it--be calm--all is
right."
Shortly after this, Joseph's wife passed through the room with her
bonnet and riding dress; and in a few minutes they left together,
taking Mr. Knight's horse and wagon. I spent the night in prayer and
supplication to God, for the anxiety of my mind would not permit
me to sleep. At the usual hour, I commenced preparing breakfast.
My heart fluttered at every footstep, as I now expected Joseph and
Emma momentarily, and feared lest Joseph might meet with another
disappointment.
When the male portion of the family were seated at the breakfast table,
Mr. Smith inquired for Joseph, for he was not aware that he had left
home. I requested my husband not to call him, for I would like to have
him take breakfast with his wife that morning.
"No, no," said my husband; "I must have Joseph sit down here and eat
with me."
"Well, now, Mr. Smith," continued I, "do let him eat with his wife this
morning; he almost always takes breakfast with you."
His father finally consented, and ate without him, and no further
inquiries were made concerning his absence, but in a few minutes Mr.
Knight came in quite disturbed.
"Why, Mr. Smith," exclaimed he, "my horse is gone, and I can't find him
on the premises, and I wish to start for home in half an hour."
"Never mind the horse," said I. "Mr. Knight does not know all the nooks
and corners in the pastures; I will call William; he will bring the
horse immediately."
This satisfied him for the time being; but he soon made another
discovery. His wagon also was gone. He then concluded that a rogue had
stolen them both.
"Mr. Knight," said I, "do be quiet; I would be ashamed to have you go
about waiting upon yourself--just go out and talk with Mr. Smith until
William comes; and if you really must go home, your horse shall be
brought, and you shall be waited upon like a gentleman." He accordingly
went out, and while he was absent, Joseph returned.
I trembled so with fear, lest all might be lost in consequence of
some failure in keeping the commandments of God, that I was under the
necessity of leaving the room in order to conceal my feelings. Joseph
saw this, and said, "Do not be uneasy, mother, all is right--see here,
I have got a key."
I knew not what he meant, but took the article of which he spoke into
my hands, and examined it. He took it again and left me, but said
nothing respecting the Record.
In a short time he returned, and inquired of me in regard to getting a
chest made. I told him to go to a certain cabinet-maker, who had made
some furniture for my oldest daughter, and tell him that we would pay
him for making a chest, as we did for the other work which he had done
for us, namely, one half in cash and the other in produce.
Joseph remarked that he would do so, but that he did not know where the
money would come from, for there was not a shilling in the house.
The following day, one Mr. Warner came to him, and told him that a
widow by the name of Wells, who was living in Macedon, wanted some
labor done in a well, for which she would pay the money, and that
she was anxious to have him (Joseph) do this labor for her. As this
afforded us an opportunity to pay the cabinet maker for the chest,
Joseph went immediately to the house of Mrs. Wells, and commenced work.
The next day after he left home, one of the neighbors asked Mr. Smith
many questions concerning the plates. I will here observe, that no one
ever heard anything from us respecting them, except a confidential
friend, whom my husband had spoken to about them some two or three
years previous. It appeared that Satan had now stirred up the hearts of
those who had gotten a hint of the matter from our friend, to search
into it, and make every possible move towards thwarting the purposes of
the Almighty.
My husband soon learned that ten or twelve men were clubbed together,
with one Willard Chase, a Methodist class-leader, at their head; and
what was still more ridiculous, they had sent sixty or seventy miles
for a certain conjuror, to come and divine the place where the plates
were secreted.
We supposed that Joseph had taken the plates, and hid them somewhere,
and we were apprehensive that our enemies might discover their place of
deposit. Accordingly, the next morning, after hearing of their plans,
my husband concluded to go among the neighbors to see what he could
learn with regard to the plans of the adverse party. The first house he
came to he found the conjuror and Willard Chase, together with the rest
of the clan. Making an errand, he went in and sat down near the door,
leaving it a little ajar, in order to overhear their conversation. They
stood in the yard near the door, and were devising plans to find "Joe
Smith's gold Bible," as they expressed themselves. The conjuror seemed
much animated, although he had traveled sixty miles the day and night
previous.
Presently, the woman of the house, becoming uneasy at the exposures
they were making, stepped through a back door into the yard, and called
to her husband, in a suppressed tone, but loud enough to be heard
distinctly by Mr. Smith, "Sam, Sam, you are cutting your own throat."
At this the conjuror bawled out at the top of his voice, "I am not
afraid of anybody--we will have them plates in spite of Joe Smith or
all the devils in hell."
When the woman came in again, Mr. Smith laid aside the newspaper he
had been holding in his hand and remarked, "I believe I have not time
to finish reading the paper now." He then left the house, and returned
home.
Mr. Smith, on returning home, asked Emma if she knew whether Joseph
had taken the plates from their place of deposit, or if she was able
to tell where they were. She said she could not tell where they were,
or whether they were removed from their place. My husband then related
what he had both seen and heard.
Upon this, Emma said that she did not know what to do, but she supposed
if Joseph was to get the Record, he would get it, and that they would
not be able to prevent him.
"Yes," replied Mr. Smith, "he will, if he is watchful and obedient;
but remember, that for a small thing, Esau lost his birthright and his
blessing. It may be so with Joseph."
"Well," said Emma, "if I had a horse, I would go and see him."
Mr. Smith then said, "You shall have one in fifteen minutes, for
although my team is gone, there is a stray on the place, and I will
send William to bring him immediately."
In a few minutes William brought up the horse with a large hickory
withe around his neck (for it was according to law, to put a withe
around the neck of a stray before turning it into an enclosure), and
Emma was soon under way for Macedon.
Joseph kept the Urim and Thummim constantly about his person, by
the use of which he could in a moment tell whether the plates were
in any danger. Just before Emma rode up to Mrs. Wells, Joseph, from
an impression that he had had, came up out of the well in which he
was laboring, and met her not far from the house. Emma immediately
informed him of what had transpired, whereupon he looked in the Urim
and Thummim, and saw that the Record was as yet safe; nevertheless, he
concluded to return with his wife, as something might take place that
would render it necessary for him to be at home where he could take
care of it.
He then told Mrs. Wells that business at home rendered it necessary
for him to return. To this she did not agree at first, but finally
consented. She then sent a boy for a horse, which Joseph mounted in
his linen frock, and with his wife by his side on her horse decorated
as before with a hickory withe around his neck, he rode through the
village of Palmyra, which was on the way home.
On arriving at home, he found his father pacing the ground near his
door in great anxiety of mind. Joseph spoke to him, saying, "Father,
there is no danger--all is perfectly safe--there is no cause of alarm."
When he had taken a little refreshment, he sent Carlos, my youngest
son, to his brother Hyrum's, to have him come up immediately, as
he desired to see him. When he came, Joseph requested him to get a
chest, having a good lock and key, and to have it there by the time he
(Joseph) should return. And after giving these instructions, Joseph
started for the plates.
The plates were secreted about three miles from home, in the following
manner: Finding an old birch log much decayed, excepting the bark,
which was in a measure sound, he took his pocket knife and cut the bark
with some care, then turned it back, and made a hole of sufficient size
to receive the plates, and, laying them in the cavity thus formed,
he replaced the bark; after which he laid across the log, in several
places, some old stuff that happened to lay near, in order to conceal,
as much as possible, the place in which they were deposited.
Joseph, on coming to them, took them from their secret place, and,
wrapping them in his linen frock, placed them under his arm and started
for home.
After proceeding a short distance, he thought it would be more safe to
leave the road and go through the woods. Traveling some distance after
he left the road, he came to a large windfall, and as he was jumping
over a log, a man sprang up from behind it and gave him a heavy blow
with a gun. Joseph turned around and knocked him down, then ran at
the top of his speed. About half a mile further he was attacked again
in the same manner as before; he knocked this man down in like manner
as the former, and ran on again; and before he reached home he was
assaulted the third time. In striking the last one, he dislocated his
thumb, which, however, he did not notice until he came within sight of
the house, when he threw himself down in the corner of the fence in
order to recover his breath. As soon as he was able, he arose and came
to the house. He was still altogether speechless from fright and the
fatigue of running.
After resting a few moments, he desired me to send Carlos for my
husband, Mr. Knight, and his friend Stoal, and have them go immediately
and see if they could find the men who had been pursuing him. And after
Carlos had done this, he wished to have him sent to Hyrum's, to tell
him to bring the chest.
I did as I was requested, and when Carlos arrived at Hyrum's, he found
him at tea, with two of his wife's sisters. Just as Hyrum was raising a
cup to his mouth, Carlos touched his shoulder. Without waiting to hear
one word from the child, he dropped the cup, sprang from the table,
caught the chest, turned it upside down, and emptying its contents on
the floor, left the house instantly with the chest on his shoulder.
The young ladies were greatly astonished at his singular behavior, and
declared to his wife--who was then confined to her bed, her eldest
daughter, Lovina, being but four days old--that he was certainly crazy.
His wife laughed heartily, and replied, "Oh, not in the least: he has
just thought of something which he has neglected; and it is just like
him to fly off in a tangent when he thinks of anything in that way."
When the chest came, Joseph locked up the Record, then threw himself
upon the bed, and after resting a little, so that he could converse
freely, he arose and went into the kitchen, where he related his
recent adventure to his father, Mr. Knight, and Mr. Stoal, besides
many others, who had by this time collected, with the view of hearing
something in regard to the strange circumstance which had taken place.
He showed them his thumb, saying, "I must stop talking, father, and get
you to put my thumb in place, for it is very painful."
I will here mention that my husband, Mr. Knight, and Mr. Stoal went in
pursuit of those villains who had attempted Joseph's life, but were not
able to find them.
When Joseph first got the plates, the angel of the Lord stood by and
said--
Now you have got the Record into your own hands, and you are but a
man, therefore you will have to be watchful and faithful to your
trust, or you will be overpowered by wicked men; for they will lay
every plan and scheme that is possible to get it away from you, and
if you do not take heed continually, they will succeed. While it
was in my hands, I could keep it, and no man had power to take it
away! but now I give it up to you. Beware, and look well to your
ways, and you shall have power to retain it, until the time for it
to be translated.
That of which I spoke, which Joseph termed a key, was, indeed, nothing
more nor less than the Urim and Thummim, and it was by this that the
angel showed him many things which he saw in vision; by which also he
could ascertain, at any time, the approach of danger, either to himself
or the Record, and on account of which he always kept the Urim and
Thummin about his person.