day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance, and
brightness burst into the room, indeed the first sight was as
though the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearance
produced a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment a
personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than
that with which I was already surrounded. This messenger
proclaimed himself to be an angel of God sent to bring the joyful
tidings, that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel was
at hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the second
coming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time was
at hand for the gospel, in all its fulness to be preached in power,
unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the millennial
reign.

I was informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the
hands of God to bring about some of His purposes in this glorious
dispensation.

I was also informed concerning the aboriginal inhabitants of
this country [America], and shown who they were, and from whence
they came; a brief sketch of their origin, progress, civilization,
laws, governments, of their righteousness and iniquity, and the
blessings of God being finally withdrawn from them as a people was
made known unto me: I was also told where there was deposited some
plates on which were engraven an abridgment of the records of the
ancient prophets that had existed on this continent. The angel
appeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same
things. After having received many visits from the angels of God
unfolding the majesty and glory of the events that should
transpire in the last days, on the morning of the 22d of September,