Lucy Mack Smith, History, 1845

  • Source Note
  • Historical Introduction
Page 86
image
evening, and we will all sit down, and listen to you, while you tell us the great things which God has revealed to you.” Accordingly, by sunset we were all seated, and Joseph commenced telling us the great and glorious things which God had manifested to him: But, before proceeding he charged us not to mention out of the family, what he was about to say to us; as the world was so wicked, that, when they came to a knowledge of these things, they would try to take our lives: and, that when we should obtain the plates, our names would be cast out as evil by all people: Hence the necessity of suppressing these things as much as possible, until the time should come for them to go forth to the world.
After giving us this charge, he proceeded to relate further particulars concerning the work which he was appointed to do: and we received them joyfully; and never mentioned them except among ourselves, agreeably to the instructions which he had given us.
From this time forth, Joseph continued to receive instructions from the Lord; and we, to get the children together every evening for the purpose of listening while he imparted the same to the family. I presume we presented an aspect as singular, as any family that ever lived upon the Earth face of the Earth: all seated in a circle, father, mother, sons, and daughters, and giving the most profound attention to a boy, nineteen <​eighteen​> years of age, who had never read the Bible through in his life; for he was much less inclined to the perusals of books then any of the rest of our children, but far more [p. 86]
evening, and we will all sit down, and listen to you, while you tell us the great things which God has revealed to you.” Accordingly, by sunset we were all seated, and Joseph commenced telling us the great and glorious things which God had manifested to him: But, before proceeding he charged us not to mention out of the family, what he was about to say to us; as the world was so wicked, that, when they came to a knowledge of these things, they would try to take our lives: and, that when we should obtain the plates, our names would be cast out as evil by all people: Hence the necessity of suppressing these things as much as possible, until the time should come for them to go forth to the world.
After giving us this charge, he proceeded to relate further particulars concerning the work which he was appointed to do: and we received them joyfully; and never mentioned them except among ourselves, agreeably to the instructions which he had given us.
From this time forth, Joseph continued to receive instructions from the Lord; and we, to get the children together every evening for the purpose of listening while he imparted the same to the family. I presume we presented an aspect as singular, as any family that ever lived upon the face of the Earth: all seated in a circle, father, mother, sons, and daughters, and giving the most profound attention to a boy, eighteen years of age, who had never read the Bible through in his life; for he was much less inclined to the perusals of books then any of the rest of our children, but far more [p. 86]
Page 86