IN THE OLD WEST 303 



with " unanimity of belief and perfect brother- 

 hood." 



After a certain probation, Joe was led in body 

 and spirit to the mountain by the angel who first 

 appeared to him ; was pointed out the position of 

 the wonderful book, which was covered by a flat 

 stone, on which would be found a pair of magic 

 spectacles, called Urim and Thummim, and 

 through the agency of which the mystic charac- 

 ters inscribed on the pages of the book were to be 

 deciphered and translated. Joe found the spot in- 

 dicated without any difficulty, cleared away the 

 earth, and discovered a hollow place foniied by 

 four flat stones, on removing the topmost one of 

 which sundry plates of brass presented themselves, 

 covered with quaint and antique carving; on the 

 top lay Urim and Thummim (commonly known to 

 the Mormons as Mummum and Thummum, the 

 spectacles of wonderful virtue), through which the 

 miracle of reading the plates of brass was to be 

 performed. 



Joe Smith, on whom the mantle of Moses had so 

 suddenly fallen, carefully removed the plates and 

 hid them, burying himself in woods and mountains 

 whilst engaged in the work of translation. How- 

 ever, he made no secret of the important task im- 

 posed upon him, nor of the great work to which he 

 had been called. Numbers at once believed him, 

 but not a few were deaf to belief, and openly de- 

 rided him. Being persecuted (as the sect declares, 



