"My father was a farmer and taught me the art of husbandry. When about fourteen years of age, I began to reflect upon the importance of being prepared for a future state, and, upon inquiring the plan of salvation, I found that there was a great clash in religious sentiments. Believing the word of God, I had confidence in the declaration of James, 'If a man lack wisdom let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him,' I retired to a secret place in a grove and began to call upon the Lord. While fervently engaged in supplication, my mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages who exactly resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light, which eclipsed the sun at noon-day. They told me that all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as His Church and Kingdom. And I was expressly commanded to 'go not after them;' at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness of the Gospel should at some future time be made known unto me." On the 21st of September, A. D. 1823, Joseph Smith was visited by an angel from the courts of glory, who instructed him further regarding the coming forth of the work of the Lord in the last days. This heavenly messenger informed him concerning certain plates that were hid in a hill, and on which was recorded the history of two races of people who had inhabited the American Continent, one descended from a small colony that was led out of Jerusalem about 600 years B. C.; and the other from a company that was led to the American Continent by the power of God, at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people who built the Tower of Babel. Those records, together with the Urim and Thummim, by means of which sacred instruments he was enabled to translate them, were committed to him, producing what is known as the Book of Mormon. This record is in exact harmony with the doctrine and principles contained in the Scriptures of {198} the Old and New Testaments, and embodies many prophecies that have been fulfilled, many that are now being verified and others relating to events still in the future.