CHAPTER III.

THE ANGEL MORONI.


When Joseph told of his vision to some of his friends he was surprised to
find that they did not believe him, but made fun of what he said. The
strangest thing to the boy was that the preachers of religion, instead of
being glad at such glorious news, told him it was from the devil, and that
God did not give any more revelations from heaven. All such things had
ceased with the apostles of old, they said. Another strange thing was that
these preachers began to tell untruths about him, and seemed to hate him
for what he told. Still Joseph would not deny his story. "I have actually
seen a vision," he said again and again. "I know it, and I know that God
knows it, and I dare not deny it."

So three years went by.

On the evening of September 21, 1823, after Joseph had retired to his room,
he prayed earnestly that the Lord would forgive him his sins and show him
if he was yet accepted of him. While he was yet praying a very bright light
came into the room, and immediately a person stood in the air by his
bedside. As this person was an angel--a being who had died and had been
resurrected with an immortal body--it is interesting to know how he looked.

Joseph describes him as a man having on a robe whiter than anything he had
ever seen. His hands were naked, and his arms also, a little above the
wrists. His feet were also bare a little above the ankles. His head and
neck were also bare. Not only was his robe very white but his whole person