himself, with Oliver Cowdery, in solemn and silent prayer to the Most High. After rising from prayer, a most glorious vision of the Lord was opened to both of them. The veil was taken from their minds, and the eyes of their understandings were opened. They saw the Lord standing upon the breastwork of the pulpit before them. Under His feet was a paved work of pure gold, in colour like amber. His eyes were as a flame of fire; the hair of his head was like the pure snow; his countenance shone above the brightness of the sun, and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters, even the voice of Jehovah saying—'I am the first and the last; I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father.' He spoke many words of encouragement unto them, and gave them precious promises, and told them things that should come to pass.
"After that vision closed, the heavens were again opened unto them, and Moses appeared before them and committed unto them the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, and the leading of the Ten Tribes from the land of the North. Elias then appeared and committed the dispensation of the Gospel of Abraham.
"After that vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon them, for Elijah the Prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before them and said—'Behold the time has fully come which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi, testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse. Therefore,' said he, 'the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands, and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.'"[1]
After such evidences of what is claimed to have been a divine attestation of the mission of Joseph, it is to be regretted that the greater portion of the witnesses of these glorious visions "fell away" and apostatized from Joseph. Within six months from that time one of his own counsellors and three of his apostles were suspended from fellowship, and in the following year this same Oliver Cowdery, who had seen, heard, and was ordained by angels, and had the most ecstatic visions, was also cut off from the Church!
At the time when these manifestations are said to have occurred in the Temple at Kirtland, few persons outside of the Mormon communion believed anything of the report; but the multitudes scattered throughout the world who now believe in
