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Show Lucy Smith Letter Adds To LOS Church Historv A Provo, IMah, man lias acquired (lie earliest known dated doeimieni relating to the history of the Church of .lesus Christ of Latter day Saints. Hrcnt K. Ashworth, an atlornoy who collects historical documents as an avocation, says he bought from another collector a loiter dated January 2:, IS2S).'from Lucy Mack Smith, the mother of the first prophet and president of the Church. Joseph Smith, to her sisler-in-law in Vermont. The letter describes details from ancient records Joseph Smith had begun to translate prior tothistime. The 11 ti pages of manuscript from those records were lost, however, and il was not until April of 182S)-threo months after the loiter was w rittoiv-that the prophet began translating records which eventually were published as (he Hook of Mormon, named for an ancient Christian prophet in the western hemisphere. The letter is complete with an address leaf addressed to "Mrs. Mary Pierce. Hoyalton,, Vt.," The letter is postmarked "Palmyra. New York" with the date of "January 24." and is signed "Lucy Smith." Dean Jcssec, a distinguished writer of Church history and a handwriting authority, has examined closely a copy of the letter and has indicated the handwriting is "definitely that of Lucy Mack Smith." Jessee says the letter is significant to the Church and Church historians for two reasons: I. It is the oldest known letter and the oldest known dated document of any type prior to the, organization of the Church. An undated transcript of characters copied from the metal plates and signed by Joseph Smith was recently acquired by the Church. Although undated, the document is believed to date to 1828. 2. Information in the letter about ' Joseph Smith's earliest translations-the lost 116 pages-is the first to be seen by modern historians and scholars. In her letter, Mrs. Smith tells of her son's work in translating the ancient records found in what is known as the Hill Cumorah, just south of Palmyra. She mentions the loss, "on account of negligence," of the 116 pages and delivers a synopsis of the contents of the lost manuscript, information she could only have gleaned by having read the manuscript herself or through word of mouth from her son. The 116 pages were translated from what Joseph Smith called "the large plates," one of several groupings of records made available to him. After the loss of the manuscript, he did not retranslate the large plates, but instead proceeded to translate the "smaller plates" plus the Prophet Mormon's "abridgements" or condensed versions of the large plates. The resulting volume was published in 1830 as the Book of Mormon. The letter contains much of the same information in-formation now in the first portions of the Book of Mormon. Mrs. Smith speaks of the exodus of a prophet named Lehi and his family from Jerusalem about 600 B.C. to escape the city's impending destruction by the Babylonians. Lehi and his small groups of followers eventually emigrated to the western hemisphere and among their descendants are today's Indians of the Americas, as well as the Polynesian people. Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, appeared to the more righteous people in the western hemisphere, gave them his commandments and established his church among them. Civil war eventually brought about the destruction of the great civilizations that had emerged over a thousand-year period after Lehi's arrival. Records were kept-both religious and secular-and it was these records that were made available to Joseph Smith in the 1820's and which ultimately led to the formal organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The letter offers two heretofore unknown details about the period of Lehi's exodus from Jerusalem. "We knew, from the Book of Mormon, that Lehi left Jerusalem with his own family and the family of a man named Ishmael," said Earl E. Olson, assistant managing director of the Church's Historical Department. "Hut wo didn't know that Ishmael was a brother of lehi's wife, Suriah. This is a detail apparently contained in the '"'lost manuscript, since Lucy Mack Smith mentions it is hor loiter to sister-in-law." Mi's. Smith's letter also describes how the existence of a "secret society" had helped bring about (he destruction of Jerusalem. "She wrote to her sisler-in-law of the ovolvomont of two separate cultures in the western hemisphere over the years after Lehi's arrival," Olson said, "the more advanced Nophites and Ihe primiiive Lamanitos." "S1k mentioned that the Nophites had a knowledge of the arts and sciences and became a highly cultured people, but they eventually met a fate similar to the people of old Jerusalem," he said. Mrs. Smith said in Ihe letter, "but they (the Nophites) had among them I hat same secret society which had brought Jerusalem and the whole nation of the Jews to destruction, and after many years Jhoy became the more wicked than their accursed brothren (the Lamanites), and Cod seeing that (hoy would not repent of the evil he visited them w ith extinction." Ashworth, who is vice president and general counsel for a health products firm in Spanish Fork, IMah, says he obtained the Lucy Mack Smith letter from another private collector, whose identity he declined to reveal. He has given copies of the letter to the Church Historical Department, but plans to keep the original in his own private collection of historical papers, which he has been gathering for the past 21 years. Transcript of letter Written by Lucy Mack Smith to her Sister-in-Law, Mrs. Mary Pierce of Royalton, Vermont, January 23, 1829. Manchester January 23rd 1829 Dear Sister It is my pleasure to inform you of a great work which the Lord has wrought in our family, for he has made his paths known to Joseph in dreams and it pleased God to show him where he could dig to obtain an ancient record engraven upon plates made of pure gold and this he is able to translate. Those favoured of God in all ages have had to suffer persecutions for his name's sake and so it is with us there being such a determined effort in this place to thwart the translation that Joseph was obliged to remove his wife to Pensylvania, (sic) nevertheless on account of negligence the translation of the first part of the record was carried off by some unknown person but God is faithful (sic) and, the work is now about to proceed; yesterday Mr. Smith and myself returned from a visit to pensylvania which occupied us about the last 3 months in singing praises to our God, and it is natural in times of rejoicing that we should think on the welfare of our kin: my object in rehearsing these events is to soften your (heart) that you may seek for a witness of the truth of this work, for the Lord himself has said that they that seek shall find and to them that knock it shall be opened. I now come to say something of the record it was placed in the earth many hundred years ago by the forefathers of our Indians, they descended from a prophet of the Lord whose name was Lehi he fled from Jerusalem with his family and also his wife's brother's family a few days before Nebuchadnezzar besieged the City and layed it in ashes, for although Lehi prophesied unto the Jews in the name of the Lord that they must repent of their sins yet they would not, neither would they believe the wonders which were shown to him in dreams concerning Christ that he should be Crucified, therefore God commanded the people of Lehi to get out of Jerusalem and flee into the wilderness and at length they were directed to enter upon the Land of America: now a part of the people of Lehi whose head was named Laman (a son of Lehi) became savage and they sought to exterminate their more virtuous bretheren (sic) who were called the people of Nephi therefore God cast off the people of Laman and he cursed them with a dark skin but the people of Nephi he preserved and prospered so long as they obeyed his commandments, and they were not unskilled workmen having a knowledge of the arts together with the sciences. But they had among them that same secret society which had brought nhu&.Mavl$?-' U it it i'ri " ' ji " J rr- nil i ,n V Now, while there's still e. lock in these hieh rates for the full term of the certificate certif-icate you choose. Both certif- irates nav hitrhor intprpyt than , ( j - -rv . ...I Federal awalowsona)rnmnihlp nlans at hanks and savings and loan associations. Interest is compounded daily. Karly withdrawals cam 6 annual interest. There's no forfeiture of up to 6 months' interest or loss of principal. Available to Utah residents only. Rates offered of-fered through 82382. COMMERCIAL CREDIT PLAN, INC. Salt 1-uke (il 2U2 K. Third South Mill, VM 02!)l Granger, C;irri;iKi- S(ii;irc, 4 IfiO S. K (IwkI Kl. M I l!t, !l(il MM Murray, Control Dala Homeowner Center, M Knsl HUH) South M 107, 2fi3-3l 1 1 (lcn,OH"i City lla.;t HM0l, 3!M !M!t.r Orem, li!.r.(iS. Stale St. 'arross from University Mall) K1().r)li, XXI .'tOOO CcclarC ily, X W Center KI20, .rK(i(i!,KI LEGAL NOTICE SHERIFF'S SALE In the District Court of the Fourth Judicial District, in and for the County of Utah, State of Utah. NOTICE OF SALE SHERIFF'S No. 28500 (Real Property) ORDER OF SALE KNIGHT ADJUSTMENT BUREAU, Plaintiff, vs. , . ; - IRENE O. MCDOWELL, Defendant, To be sold at Sheriff's Sale, at the west front, door of the County Courthouse in the city of . Provo, County of Utah, State of Utah, on the 1st day of September, 1982 at 10:40 o'clock a.m. on said day that certain piece or parcel of real property situated in Utah County, State of Utah, described as follows to-wit: Lot 13, Plat "B", Northwood Subdivision, Orcm, Utah County, Utah, According to the official plat thereof on file in the office of the Recorder of Utah County, Utah. Purchase price payable in legal tender of the United States. Dated at Provo City, Utah, this 9th day of August, 1982. Mack Holley, Sheriff of Utah County, Utah By Lt. Keith Bills Deputy Dale R. Kent Attorney for Plaintif Published in Orcm-Gcncva Orcm-Gcncva Times on August 12, 19, & 26, 1982. Jerusalem and the whole nation of the Jews to destruction; and after many years they became the more wicked than their accursed bretheren, and God seeing that they would not repent of the evil he visilod I hem wit h extinction. Hut I must stop here for could wrilc over so long and not have told you one hundredth part of what I will tell you when we have Ihe opportunity of seeing each other again. I want lor yxi lo remember that Cod himself has given to Joseph that ho is able to translate and he is able lo recover Ihose Ihings also in dreams therefore beware that you do not mock. I hope dear Sister Ibis will moot you in good health and spirits lluil your mind might fool disposed to dwell upon it for as God lives I have written the truth. Perhaps you will find a little history of my small concerns of interest respecting our family (unclear word), this loaves us all in comfortable health except for Sophronia and Samuel who are at present afflicted with winter coughs. William has gone to Canan-daigua Canan-daigua for the season to live with a joiner and to try his hand al that trade. We have sold our little place for 700 Dollars and of course must leave it in the spring but Mr. Smith has not yet fixed upon what point of Ihe compass to lake, we are under no bonds lo leave this place yet we have no inducements to stay as we live very much retired; our neighbors gonoraly (sic) treat us with com tempt ever since it has been noised about what marvels that the Lord has worked. I will give you a little sample: a man who has always boon kind and attentive to our family called on us last fall and was made welcome to our table arid his horse to our barn with an urgent request as he said that before starting on our journey we would tell him all that we knew respecting the record to which request we readily assented which seemed to perfectly satisfy him. as he rose from our table he requested us not to call on him for said he I am afraid it will injure my business, so much for neighborliness. "Self love the spring of action moves the soul." I have seen too much, quite too much of human nature to have my confidence in 7.8th of professed friends.with these views and ten thousand discouragements it is not probably that we shall locate in these parts again: such dear Sister are my reflections, but I do not want you to think that I have become so uncharitable un-charitable for my mind naturally runs upon the goodness and mercy of God, and never before have I been the more content with my lot, having obtained a token of his grace. I am aware that these marvels are thought by many to be altogether incredible but I entreat you with all the earnestness and zeal of which I am cappable (sic) that you believe, for God is mighty to do all things and he will answer the "prayer of faith with understanding." I am pressed to close but remember (sic) me to Mr. Pierce and to your dear children. Mr. Smith sends his love, please to write soon, it would be very gratifying to me personaly (sic) to see you again. I must now bid the Orem-Geneva Times September 2, 1982 farewell then adieu Lucy Smith Water Resources Board r V i 1 1 Meet September 3 The regular monthly meeting of the Utah Board of Water Resources Resour-ces will be held Friday, September 3, at 8:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the Natural Resources and Energy building, 1636 West North Temple, Salt Lake City. Scheduled for consideration con-sideration of committal of funds are projects of the Chester Irrigation Company, Sanpete County; Coun-ty; and the Charleston Water Improvement District, Wasatch County. Coun-ty. The Board has also been asked to reauthorize funds for a project of the Town of Escalante ia Garfield County. 'l Feasibility reports'" are scheduled to be presented on proposed projects of Clinton city, ; Davis County; Lake'j Creek Irrigation Com-pany, Com-pany, Wasatch County;..-Scipio County;..-Scipio Irrigation Com-,, pahy, Millard County; ., and the Sheep Creek 1: Irrigation Company,;, Daggett County. 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