the rise of the church of christ in these last days being one thousand Eight hundred and thirty years since the coming of our lord and And saviour jesus christ in the flesh; It being regularly organised And established agreeable to the laws of our by the will And commandments of God. in the fourth month and on the Sixth day of the month which is called Aprill; which commandMents were Given to joseph who was called of God and ordained An of jesus christ an elder of this church; And also to Who was also called of God an of jesus christ an elder of this Church and ordained under his hand; And this according to The Grace of our lord and savior jesus Christ to whom be all Glory both now and forever Amen. For after that it truly Was manifested unto this first elder that he had received a Remission of his sins. he was again entangled in the vanities of The world; But after truly repenting God ministered unto Him by an holy whose countenance was like lightning and Whose Garments were pure and white above all whiteness and Gave unto him commandments which inspired him from On high and gave unto him power; by the means which Were before prepared that he should translate a book Which book contained a record of a fallen people and The Also the fulness of the Gospel of jesus christ to the Gentiles; And also to the jews, proving unt[o] them that the Holy scriptures are true. And also that doth inspire men and Call them to his holy work, in these last days, as well as in days Of old, that he might be the same god forever, Amen. Which book was Given by inspiration and is called the book Of mormon and is confirmed to others by the ministering Of and declared, unto the world by them; wherefore Having so great witness; by them shall the world be judged Even as many as shall hereafter receive this work either to Faith & righteousness or to the hardness of heart in unbElief to their own condemnation for the Lord God hath Spoken it for we the elders of the church have heard and [p. [1]]