THE

BOOK OF MORMON:

AN ACCOUNT WRITTEN BY

THE HAND OF MORMON,

UPON PLATES

TAKEN FROM THE PLATES OF NEPHI.

Wherefore, it is an abridgment of the Rrecord of the Ppeople of Nephi;, and also of the Lamanites;--wWritten to the Lamanites, which who are a remnant of the Hhouse of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile;--wWritten by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of Pprophescy and of Rrevelation.--Written, and sealed up, and hid up unto the LORDord, that they might not be destroyed;--tTo come forth by the gift and power of GODod, unto the interpretation thereof;--sSealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the LORDord, to come forth in due time by the way of the Gentile;--tThe interpretation thereof by the gift of GODod;.  aAn abridgment taken from the Book of Ether.

Aalso, which is a Rrecord of the Ppeople of Jared, which who were scattered at the time the LORDord confounded the language of the people, when they were building a tower to get to Hheaven:--wWhich is to sheow unto the remnant of the House of Israel how what great things the LORDord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the LORDord, that they are not cast off forever;--aAnd also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile that JESUS is the CHRIST, the ETERNAL GOD, manifesting Hhimself unto all nations.--And now, if there be are faults, it be they are the mistakes of men; wherefore, condemn not the things of GODod, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment-seat of CHRISThrist.

TRANSLATED BY JOSEPH SMITH, JUNIOR,

AUTHOR AND PROPRIETOR.

[The following has been completely deleted]

PALMYRA:

PRINTED BY E.B. GRANDIN, FOR THE AUTHOR.

1830.

Northern District of New-York, to wit: BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the eleventh day of June, in the fifty-third year of the Independence of the United States of America, A.D. 1829, JOSEPH SMITH, JUN. of the said District, hath deposited in this office the title of a Book, the right whereof he claims as author, in the words following, to wit:  "The Book of Mormon:  an account written by the hand of Mormon, upon plates taken from the plates of Nephi.  Wherefore it is an abridgment of the Record of the People of Nephi; and also of the Lamanites; written to the Lamanites, who are a remnant of the House of Israel; and also to Jew and Gentile; written by way of commandment, and also by the spirit of Prophesy and of Revelation.  Written, and sealed up, and hid up unto the Lord, that they might not be destroyed; to come forth by the gift and power of God, unto the interpretation thereof; sealed by the hand of Moroni, and hid up unto the Lord, to come forth in due time by the way of Gentile; the interpretation thereof by the gift of God; an abridgment taken from the Book of Ether.  Also, which is a Record of the People of Jared, which were scattered at the time the Lord confounded the language of the people when they were building a tower to get to Heaven:  which is to shew unto the remnant of the House of Israel, how great things the Lord hath done for their fathers; and that they may know the covenants of the Lord, that they are not cast off forever:  and also to the convincing of the Jew and Gentile, that Jesus is the Christ, the Eternal God, manifesting Himself unto all nations.  And now if there be fault, it be the mistake of men; wherefore condemn not the things of God, that ye may be found spotless at the judgment seat of Christ.--By Joseph Smith, Jun. Author and Proprietor."

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An set for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned;" and also the act, entitled, "An act supplementary to an act, entitled, `An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints."

R. R. LANSING,

Clerk of the Northern District of New-York.

PREFACE.

TO THE READER--

As many false reports have been circulated respecting the following work, and also many unlawful measures taken by the evil designing persons to destroy me, and also the work, I would inform you that I translated, by the gift and power of God, and caused to be written, one hundred and sixteen pages, the which I took from the Book of Lehi, which was an account abridged from the plates of Lehi, by the hand of Mormon; which said account, some person or persons have stolen and kept from me, notwithstanding my utmost exertions to recover it again--and being commanded of the Lord that I should not translate the same over again, for Satan had put it into their hearts to tempt the Lord their God, by altering the words, that they did read contrary from that which I translated and caused to be written; and if I should bring forth the same words again, or, in other words, if I should translate the same over again, they would publish that which they had stolen, and Satan would stir up the hearts of this generation, that they might not receive this work:  but behold, the Lord said unto me, I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing: therefore thou shalt translate from the plates of Nephi, until ye come to that which ye have translated, which ye have retained; and behold ye shall publish it as the record of Nephi; and thus I will confound those who have altered my words.  I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will shew unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the Devil.  Wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, I have, through his grace and mercy, accomplished that which he hath commanded me respecting this thing.  I would also inform you that the plates of which hath been spoken, were found in the township of Manchester, Ontario county, New-York.

THE AUTHOR.

[The preceding has been completely deleted]

[The following originally appeared at the end of the Book of Mormon]

BE it known IT KNOWN unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this works shall come,:  tThat we, through the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, have seen the plates which contain this record, which is a record of the people of Nephi, and also of the Lamanites, his their brethren, and also of the people of Jared, which who came from the tower, of which hath been spoken;.  aAnd we also know that they have been translated by the gift and power of God, for his voice hath declared it unto us; wherefore we know of a surety, that the work is true.   And we also testify that we have seeen the engravings which are upon the plates; and they have been sheown unto us by the power of God, and not of man.  And we declare with words of soberness, that an Aangel of God came down from heaven, and he brought and laid before our eyes, that we beheld and saw the plates, and the engravings thereon; and we know that it is by the grace of God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, that we beheld and bear record that these things are true;.  aAnd it is marvellous in our eyes:.  Nevertheless, the voice of the Lord commanded us that we should bear record of it; wherefore, to be obedient unto the commandments of God, we bear testimony of these things.--And we know that if we are faithful in Christ, we shall rid our garments of the blood of all men, and be found spotless before the judgement-seat of Christ, and shall dwell with him eternally in the heavens.  And the honor be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost, which is one God.  Amen.

OLIVER COWDERY,

DAVID WHITMER,

MARTIN HARRIS.

AND ALSO THE TESTIMONY OF EIGHT WITNESSES.

BE it known IT KNOWN unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come,: tThat Joseph Smith, Jr.un, the Author and Proprietor translator of this work, has sheown unto us the plates of which hath been spoken, which have the appearance of gold; and as many of the leaves as the said Smith has translated, we did handle with our hands; and we also saw the engravings thereon, all of which has the appearance of ancient work, and of curious workmanship.  And this we bear record, with words of soberness, that the said Smith has sheown unto us, for we have seen and hefted, and know of a surety, that the said Smith has got the plates of which we have spoken.  And we give our names unto the world, to witness unto the world that which we have seen:. aAnd we lie not, God bearing witness of it.

CHRISTIAN WHITMER,

JACOB WHITMER,

PETER WHITMER, JRUN.

JOHN WHITMER,

HIRAM PAGE,

JOSEPH SMITH, SEN.

HYRUM SMITH,

SAMUEL H. SMITH.

[The preceding originally appeared at the end of the Book of Mormon]