a bell, and that this had the strongest effect on him; and when
the angel went away, he had received the revelation. Sometimes again
he held converse with the angel as with a man, so as easily to
understand his words. The later authorities, however, ... distinguish
still other kinds. In the Itgan (103) the following are enumerated:
1, revelations with sound of bell, 2, by inspiration of the holy spirit
in M.'s heart, 3, by Gabriel in human form, 4, by God immediately,
either when awake (as in his journey to heaven) or in dream.... In
Almawahib alladuniya the kinds are thus given: 1, Dream, 2,
Inspiration of Gabriel in the Prophet's heart, 3, Gabriel taking
Dahya's form, 4, with the bell-sound, etc., 5, Gabriel in propria
persona (only twice), 6, revelation in heaven, 7, God appearing in
person, but veiled, 8, God revealing himself immediately without veil.
Others add two other stages, namely: 1, Gabriel in the form of still
another man, 2, God showing himself personally in dream."[328]

[328] Noldeke, Geschichte des Qorans, 1860, p. 16. Compare the fuller
account in Sir William Muir's: Life of Mahomet, 3d ed., 1894, ch. iii.

In none of these cases is the revelation distinctly motor. In the case
of Joseph Smith (who had prophetic revelations innumerable in addition
to the revealed translation of the {472} gold plates which resulted in
the Book of Mormon), although there may have been a motor element, the
inspiration seems to have been predominantly sensorial. He began his
translation by the aid of the "peep-stones" which he found, or thought
or said that he found, with the gold plates --apparently a case of
"crystal gazing." For some of the other revelations he used the
peep-stones, but seems generally to have asked the Lord for more direct
instruction.[329]

[329] The Mormon theocracy has always been governed by direct
revelations accorded to the President of the Church and its Apostles.
From an obliging letter written to me in 1899 by an eminent Mormon, I
quote the following extract:--

"It may be very interesting for you to know that the President [Mr.
Snow] of the Mormon Church claims to have had a number of revelations
very recently from heaven. To explain fully what these revelations
are, it is necessary to know that we, as a people, believe that the
Church of Jesus Christ has again been established through messengers
sent from heaven. This Church has at its head a prophet seer, and
revelator,