THE ANGEL MORONI.
When Joseph told of his vision to some of his friends he was surprised to
find that they did not believe him, but made fun of what he said. The
strangest thing to the boy was that the preachers of religion, instead of
being glad at such glorious news, told him it was from the devil, and that
God did not give any more revelations from heaven. All such things had
ceased with the apostles of old, they said. Another strange thing was that
these preachers began to tell untruths about him, and seemed to hate him
for what he told. Still Joseph would not deny his story. "I have actually
seen a vision," he said again and again. "I know it, and I know that God
knows it, and I dare not deny it."
So three years went by.
On the evening of September 21, 1823, after Joseph had retired to his room,
he prayed earnestly that the Lord would forgive him his sins and show him
if he was yet accepted of him. While he was yet praying a very bright light
came into the room, and immediately a person stood in the air by his
bedside. As this person was an angel--a being who had died and had been
resurrected with an immortal body--it is interesting to know how he looked.
Joseph describes him as a man having on a robe whiter than anything he had
ever seen. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the
wrists. His feet were also bare a little above the ankles. His head and
neck were also bare. Not only was his robe very white but his whole person
shone with great glory. The room was very light, but not so bright as
close around the angel's person.
The angel called Joseph by name, and said that he was a messenger sent from
God to him, and that his name was Moroni. He told Joseph that God had a
work for him to do, and because of this work, good and evil would be spoken
about his name in all nations. The angel then told him of a record written
on gold plates which were hidden in a hill not far away. This record was a
history of the peoples who had lived on this continent, of whom the Indians
were a part. With the plates was an instrument called the Urim and Thummim,
which God had prepared for the translating of the records. After a time
these things would be given to Joseph, but he must take great care of them
and show them to no one except those to whom the Lord would direct. Then
Moroni showed Joseph, by a vision, the place, where the plates were hidden.
After giving much other instruction, the light in the room began to gather
in towards the person of the angel, leaving the room again in darkness,
except just around the heavenly visitor, who soon disappeared in a shining
path into heaven.
Three times that same night Moroni visited Joseph and told him nearly the
same things over again. About the plates Joseph was further told that he
would be tempted to get them for the purpose of getting rich, as the plates
were of great value; but he must not yield to that spirit as they were
sacred, and he must have no other purpose in view than to do the will of
God and build up his kingdom; otherwise he would not get them. At the close
of the third visit it was morning, and then Joseph knew that he had been
talking with the angel nearly all the night.
That morning Joseph went as usual with his father to work in the field,
but he was so weak that he could do but little. His father, seeing this,
told him to go home.
On the way, as he was climbing over a fence, Joseph fell helpless to the
ground. After that the first thing he knew was that some one was calling
him by name. Looking up he again saw the angel Moroni, who once more told
him all that he had related the night before. He then told Joseph to go
back to the field and tell his father of the vision and the commandments
which he had received.
Joseph obeyed at once, and went back and told all he had seen and heard.
His father believed all he said, and told Joseph to obey the angel, as the
teachings and commandments were surely from the Lord.
Topics.--1. Beginning of persecution. 2. Visit of the angel Moroni. 3.
What Moroni told Joseph.
Questions and Review.--1. What did people say of Joseph's first vision?
2. Why did people persecute a young boy like Joseph? 3. Name the date of
Moroni's visit. 4. What is an angel? (See Doc. and Cov. Sec. 129, also Key
to Theology, Chap. 12.) 5. Describe the Angel Moroni. 6. Why did the angel
repeat so often his instructions to Joseph? 7. How old was Joseph at this
time?