For the fifth time Joseph stood by the place of deposit of the stone box and its precious contents, which for fourteen centuries had remained concealed1 from human vision and undisturbed by mortal hand. It was the morning of the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven. For the last time he removed the soil and lifted the stone cover, while he prayed that he might be as faithful to his trust as had been the inanimate hillside. The angel of the Lord was at his side and bade him stretch forth2 his hands and take from their long hiding place the Urim and Thummim and the record.
Joseph touched them and his being was thrilled with a divine joy. He lifted them to the surface and examined their beauty.
The Urim and Thummim was as the angel had described it—two precious stones set in an arch of silver which was fastened to an ancient breastplate of pure gold, curiously3 wrought4. The breastplate was concave on one side and convex on the other, and seemed to have been made for a man of greater stature5 than is ordinary in modern days. Four golden bands were fastened to it, for the purpose of attaching it to the person of its wearer—two of the bands being for the shoulders, the others for the waist or hips6.
The plates, also of gold, were of uniform size; each was slightly less in thickness than a common sheet of tin and was about eight inches in width; and all were bound together by three rings, running through one edge of the plates. Thus secured, they formed a book about six inches in thickness. A part of the volume, about one-third, was sealed; the other leaves Joseph turned with his hand. They were covered on both sides with strange characters, small and beautifully engraved7.
Moroni instructed Joseph that he must not attempt to open that part of the book which was sealed, for the hour had not come wherein it was destined8 to be made known; but in God's accepted time he would bring that portion of the record to the knowledge of His children. Then the angel repeated all that he had formerly9 said in advice and blessing10. Joseph was told that the Lord expected him to shield the record from profane11 touch and sight, even with his life, until his work of translation should be completed and the plates restored to the hands of Moroni; that all the former guardians12 had relinquished13 their trust and he alone would be held accountable for their safety; that efforts would be made to rob him of the holy writings, but if he proved faithful the Heavens would give their aid to his support and he would come off triumphant14. And he was finally and solemnly warned that if he should betray his mission he must be cut off and destroyed.
With a crowning promise to Joseph that he should not be left to grope in darkness, and that upon the conclusion of the labor15 of translation, the angel would visit him and again receive the plates, Moroni disappeared, and THE PROPHET OF THE LAST DISPENSATION stood alone upon Cumorah, clasping to his bosom16 the priceless trust.
Joseph folded the golden record of past generations beneath his mantle17 and sped homeward. The words of Moroni had been prophetic; three different times in the brief journey to his house, the chosen minister of salvation18 was assailed19 by unknown men—emissaries of the evil one, who sought to strike him to the earth and rob him of his precious charge. Once they dealt him a terrific blow with a bludgeon, but he did not fall. He was a man of rare physical endowments, yet on this occasion his own strength and activity, without the help of the Lord, would not have delivered him or been sufficient to cast his assailants one by one prone20 in the dust with the irresistible21 force which he used against them.
With the plates unharmed, but himself bruised22, and panting from the contest, Joseph reached his home.
After this important hour the powers of darkness arrayed all their subtle and murderous influences against him. Abominable23 falsehoods were cunningly circulated against him and his father's family, the purpose being to excite the rage of the populace against them. Constantly the Prophet's life was beset24 by assassins; the sacred record was sought by robbers. Each hour brought some new menace. Men, lurking25 by his pathway, discharged deadly weapons at his person; and mobs attacked him and invaded his home. Wherever the plates were supposed to be hidden, there were the despoilers breaking through bolts and walls. Open force failing, subtle stratagems26 were devised for the destruction of the Prophet's life and the abstraction of the plates.
These numerous efforts all failed to accomplish the ends at which they were aimed. But they prevented Joseph from obtaining the safe leisure necessary for his labor of translation. Anxious to pursue his heaven-appointed work without the interruption of these continued attacks, he was led to the idea of removing from Manchester. Personal fear was not an element of his nature, and no selfish motive27 prompted his resolve; but in no other visible manner could his sacred instructions be fulfilled. The home of Emma's parents in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, was the place which he selected, and thither28 he determined29 to journey.
Poverty seemed, however, to present an insurmountable barrier; but it was suddenly removed. Martin Harris, a prosperous and respected farmer of Wayne County, New York, and who was destined in the providence30 of God to afterwards fill an important part in connection with the divine record, was inspired to come to Joseph with a free offer of help. By the aid thus extended, the Prophet was able to take his departure to Manchester, carrying with him his wife and the sacred plates. As Joseph and Mary were warned to flee with the infant Jesus into Egypt to escape the destruction which Herod had planned, so the Prophet was led to seek another place of residence for the performance of his labor.
But Satan was not idle. Twice while on the journey was the servant of God stopped by officers, who, under a pretended warrant of law, searched his wagon31 for the plates. But the angel of the Lord blinded the eyes of the wicked and they found not what they sought.
It was in the month of December, 1827, when Joseph reached the house of Isaac Hale in Pennsylvania; and without delay he began his inspired work of translation by the aid of the seer stones.
It may seem strange and unaccountable that such extraordinary efforts should be made to destroy this young man and to get possession of the plates with which he had been entrusted32. But his whole life from this time forward until he sealed his testimony33 with his blood was filled with incidents of the most remarkable34 character. The words of the angel were that God had a work for Joseph to do, and that his name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds and tongues; or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people; and they were fulfilled to the letter. No man of this generation was so passionately35 loved; no man was so cruelly hated. Satan knew that if the work of which God had chosen him to be the founder36 on the earth should prevail, his power and dominion37 should be overthrown38. Against this Prophet, therefore, the profoundest depths of hell were stirred up. While he lived he was the target at which the most deadly shafts39 of Satan were directed. For the succeeding sixteen or seventeen years from the time of which we write his steps were beset by peril40. Violence and murder lurked41 in his pathway. He was never free from menace. Through his life he enjoyed peace, but it was the peace that came from above and not that which arises from auspicious42 surroundings and undisturbed quiet. He was a happy man; but his happiness was never due to worldly favor or popularity. God had endowed him with a buoyancy of spirit and a strength of faith that the most deadly opposition43 and the most threatening difficulties could not repress; with a courage which, in the midst of brutal44 mobs howling for his blood, never faltered45 or was quenched46. His was a stormy career; but he was amply qualified47 for it. As he himself said on one occasion:
And as for perils48 which I am called to pass through, they seem but a small thing to me, as the envy and wrath49 of man have been my common lot all the days of my life, and for what cause it seems mysterious, unless I was ordained50 from before the foundation of the world for some good end, or bad, as you may choose to call it. Judge ye for yourselves. God knoweth all these things whether it be good or bad. But nevertheless, deep water is what I am wont51 to swim in. It has all become a second nature to me, and I feel like Paul, to glory in tribulation52, for to this day has the God of my fathers delivered me out of them all, and will deliver me from henceforth; for behold53, and lo, I shall triumph over all my enemies, for the Lord God hath spoken it.
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1
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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7
engraved
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| v.在（硬物）上雕刻（字，画等）( engrave的过去式和过去分词 )；将某事物深深印在（记忆或头脑中） | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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9
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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guardians
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| 监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者 | |
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relinquished
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| 交出，让给( relinquish的过去式和过去分词 )； 放弃 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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abominable
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| adj.可厌的，令人憎恶的 | |
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beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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stratagems
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| n.诡计，计谋( stratagem的名词复数 )；花招 | |
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motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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providence
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| n.深谋远虑，天道，天意；远见；节约；上帝 | |
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wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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32
entrusted
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| v.委托，托付( entrust的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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34
remarkable
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| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
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passionately
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| ad.热烈地，激烈地 | |
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36
Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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overthrown
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| adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词 | |
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39
shafts
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| n.轴( shaft的名词复数 )；（箭、高尔夫球棒等的）杆；通风井；一阵（疼痛、害怕等） | |
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40
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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41
lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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42
auspicious
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| adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的 | |
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43
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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44
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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45
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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46
quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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47
qualified
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| adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的 | |
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48
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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49
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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50
ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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51
wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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52
tribulation
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| n.苦难，灾难 | |
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53
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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