16
But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the
power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment
when I was ready to sink into despair and
abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power
of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous
power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of
great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
• • •
18
My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the
sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore,
did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked
the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
• • •
20
He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did
he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to
myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light
had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I
went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what
the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough
off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that
Presbyterianism is not true.” It seems as though the adversary was
aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a
disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of
darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that
arose against me, almost in my infancy?
• • •
43
After this communication, I saw the light in
the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had
been speaking to me, and it continued to do so until the room was again
left dark, except just around him; when, instantly I saw, as it were, a
conduit open right up into heaven, and he ascended till he entirely disappeared, and the room was left as it had been before this heavenly light had made its appearance.
• • •
68
We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into
the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the
remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the
plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord,
a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying:
No comments:
Post a Comment