page is not a modern production, but a literal translation from the last leaf of the plates, on the left-hand side, and running like all Hebrew writing.
And now in a chamber of Whitmer's house Smith, Cowdery, and David Whitmer meet, and earnestly ask God to make good his promise, and confer on them the Melchisedec priesthood, which authorizes the laying-on of hands for the gift of the holy ghost. Their prayer is answered; for presently the word of the Lord comes to them, commanding that Joseph Smith should ordain Oliver Cowdery to be an elder in the church of Jesus Christ, and Oliver in like manner should so ordain Joseph, and the two should ordain others as from time to time the will of the Lord should be made known to them.[1] But this ordination must not take place until the baptized brethren assemble and give to this act their sanction, and accept the ordained as spiritual teachers, and then only after the blessing and partaking of bread and wine. It is next revealed that twelve shall be called to be the disciples of Christ, the twelve apostles of these last days, who shall go into all the world preaching and baptizing.
- ↑ Speaking of the manner in which Smith delivered these revelations, Howe says: 'In this operation he abandoned his spectacles, or peep-stone, and merely delivered it with his eyes shut. In this manner he governs his followers, by asking the Lord, as he says, from day to day.' Mormonism Unveiled, 102.
John H. Gilbert, as printer, had the chief operative trust of the type-setting and press-work of the job. After the first day's trial he found the manuscripts in so very imperfect a condition, especially in regard to grammar, that he became unwilling further to obey the "command," and so announced to Smith and his party; when finally, upon much friendly expostulation, he was given a limited discretion in correcting, which was exercised in the particulars of syntax, orthography, punctuation, capitalizing, paragraphing, etc. Many errors under these heads, nevertheless, escaped correction, as appear in the first edition of the printed book. Very soon, too—after some ten days—the constant vigilance by the Mormons over the manuscripts was relaxed by reason of the confidence they came to repose in the printers. Mr Gilbert has now (1867) in his possession a complete copy of the book in the original sheets, as laid off by him from the press in working. . . Meanwhile, Harris and his wife had separated by mutual arrangement, on account of her persistent unbelief in Mormonism and refusal to be a party to the mortgage. The family estate was divided, Harris giving her about eighty acres of the farm, with a comfortable house and other property, as her share of the assets; and she occupied this property until the time of her death.' Tucker's Origin and Prog. Mor., 50-7.
