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Show CRIBE THE· APPEARANCE OF A MESSENGER FROMTHE SKIES But it may be well to relate, the particulars as far as given. The stature of this personage was a little above the common size of men in this age; his garment was perfectly white, and had the appearance of being without seam. He then proceeded and gave a general account of the promises made to the fathers, and also gave a history of the aborigines of this country, and said they were literal descendants of Abraham. He re 17, 1842, and he states, Joseph Smith, when the great designs of heaven WERE FIRST MADE ... . . presented them as once being an enlightened and intelligent people, POSSESSING A CORRECT KNOWLEDGE OF THE GOSPEL, and the plan of restoration and redemption. He said this history was written and desposited not far from that place, and that it was our brother's privilege, if obedient to the commandments of the Lord, to obtain, AND TRANSLATE THE SAME BY THE MEANS OF THE URIM AND THUMMIM, WHICH WERE DEPOSITED FOR THAT PURPOSE withthe record" 6 This history was written by Oliver Cowdery AND ENDORSED BY JOSEPH SMITH AND WAS PlJB- LISHED AS WE HAVE GIVEN IT. It was also printed in 1841 in The Gospel Reflector" by B. Winchester and the age of Joseph Smith was given as seventeen years of age for the first visit of the ANGEL. It is also stated on page 140 of this work that it is a FULL HISTORY. It was reprinted in volume 2 of the "Times and Seasons" in 1840 and stated exactly as it was in the "Messenger and Advocate." It was also reprinted in February, 1844, and the age of Joseph Smith when he received the flrst visitation of an angel WAS CORRECTED AND PRINTED AS SEVENTEEN years of age. 7 Joseph Smith's age at the time of the visit of the angel was recorded in the "Millennial Star" in a letter written by Orson Spencer dated November e e 8 KNOWN TO HIM. was not far from the AGE OF SEVENTEEN." 8 Orson Spencer's letters were later published as a book and contain this same state ment concerning his age and that it was an angel who came to him. 9· The Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints also published this history, known as e Letters of Oliver Cowdery" and corrected the age of Joseph Smith from fifteen years to seventeen years for this first visitation as stated in the history when given. Now let's look at what Oliver Cowdery, as the first his torian and editor of the Messenger and Advocate - e wrote. . Oliver Cowdery tells us that he is giving a FULL HISTORY of dle rise of the Latter Day Saints. 10 He also said Joseph Smith assisted him in the ac count He tells us that Joseph Smith's CORRECT AGE when he received the visit from the angel was seventeen and that the age fifteen was an ER ROR OF TYPE. He took especial pains to correct this, so FULL UNDERSTANDING" could be had. This was not contradicted by Joseph Smith or' anyone else at that time. The next important thing to notice in this history is that the time is brought down TO SEPTEMBER 1823. Joseph Smith is seeking God, and to quote from the history he is asking, THE ALL 1M PORTANT information, IF A SUPREME BEING DID EXIST,"--and if his sins were forgiven. Why would Joseph Smith be seeking to know, IF A SUPREME BEING EXISTED," in Sep tember 1823, iJf as is claimed many years later, that in 1820 HE SAW the Father and the Son? To claim that he HAD ALREADY SEEN THE FATHER AND THE SON, and then to pray to 9 |
