Subsequently, a committee of revision was appointed by President Young, consisting of President George A. Smith and Judge Elias Smith, cousins of the Prophet, men personally familiar with the family, and thoroughly conversant with Church history. They were instructed carefully to revise and correct the original work throughout, which they did, reporting their labors to President Brigham Young, to his entire satisfaction. The revised and only authentic copy thus prepared and reported upon was retained by President George A. Smith, and shortly after his death, September 1, 1875, it was committed into my keeping, where it has remained until now. Recently the question of printing the work as a serial in the Improvement Era came up for consideration, and there was a unanimous sentiment among the members of the General Board of Y. M. M. I. A. favorable to its publication. The subject was accordingly submitted and explained to President Lorenzo Snow, who gave his sanction, and his hearty approval of the enterprise. By the presentation of this work to the public, a worthy record is preserved, and the testimony of a noble and faithful woman--a mother indeed, and heroine in Israel--is perpetuated. The book, besides giving an extended account of the progenitors of the Prophet, and the Smith and Mack families, contains much interesting and valuable information, found in no other publication, relating to the life of the Prophet Joseph Smith, who, through the will of God, was the chosen instrument to perform the foundation labor for the "marvelous work and a wonder" which God has established as his Church, in the last days. Believing that both old and young will be pleased as well as benefitted by the perusal of its pages, and praying that it may inspire them with renewed zeal, and create in them additional faith in the great work of the Lord, I commend to the reader this History of the Prophet Joseph. Joseph F. Smith. Salt Lake City, October 8, 1901. CONTENTS. Introduction CHAPTER I. Solomon Mack, the Father of Lucy Mack--Extract from his Narrative CHAPTER II. History of Jason Mack CHAPTER III. Lovisa and Lovina Mack CHAPTER IV. Life of Stephen Mack CHAPTER V. Lydia Mack, third Daughter of Solomon Mack CHAPTER VI. Daniel Mack--He Rescues Three Men from a Watery Grave CHAPTER VII. Solomon Mack CHAPTER VIII. Early Life of Lucy Mack--Her Marriage with Joseph Smith CHAPTER IX. Seven Generations of the Smith Family--Four Generations of the Mack Family CHAPTER X. A Present of One Thousand Dollars, from John Mudget and Stephen Mack, to the Author CHAPTER XI. Sickness in Randolph CHAPTER XII. Joseph Smith, Senior, Loses his Property and Becomes Poor--Receives a Visit from Jason Mack--The History of the Latter Concluded CHAPTER XIII. The Author's Dream CHAPTER XIV. First Vision of Joseph Smith, Senior--The Box--Second Vision--The Tree and the Spacious Building CHAPTER XV. Sickness at Lebanon--Sophronia's Miraculous Recovery