THE discovery of the ancient record known to mankind as the Book of Mormon was no affair of chance. To the contrary, both the finding of the plates of gold and the translation of the inscriptions were specifically the result of Divine direction. So the following facts attest. On the 21st of September, 1823, Joseph Smith of Manchester, N. Y., was visited by an angelic personage who announced himself as Moroni, "A messenger sent from the presence of God." "What!" the skeptical may exclaim, "A heavenly being visiting the earth and talking to a man in these modern days?" To which interrogatory a fair rejoinder is Why not? Has the God of Heaven changed in nature and attributes, or found need of altering and revising His former and most simple methods of communicating with men? To the priest Zacharias in days of old came one saying "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speak unto thee." (Luke 1:19). To the prophet Joseph Smith in latter times came a messenger with the same form of annunciation. Both Gabriel and Moroni were ambassadors from the Eternal One, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, and "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." (James 1: 17; Heb. 13:8). Part of Moroni's message delivered at this visitation is thus stated by the latter-day prophet: "He said there was a book deposited, written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. He also said that the fulness of the everlasting Gospel was contained in it, as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants. Also, that there were two stones in silver bows--and these stones, fastened to a breastplate, constituted what is called the Urim and Thummim--deposited with the plates; and the possession and use of these stones were what constituted 'seers' in ancient or former times; and that God had prepared them for the purpose of translating the book. . . . While he was conversing with me about the plates, the vision was opened to my mind that I could see the place where the plates were deposited, and that so clearly and distinctly that I knew the place again when I visited it." On going to the place the next day Joseph Smith located the stone box, and with the aid of a lever removed the cover. His record continues: "I made an attempt to take them out, but was forbidden by the messenger, and was again informed that the time for bringing them forth had not yet arrived, neither would it, until four years from that time; but he told me that I should come to that place precisely in one year from that time, and that he would there meet with me, and that I should continue to do so until the time should come for obtaining the plates." At the close of the fourth probationary year, the plates and accessories were given into the custody of the latter-day seer. Of this occasion and subsequent developments he wrote as follows: