, 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 n