Bridge of Reason

  From 1820, the time of the 'first vision', until 1830 Joseph Smith claimed he received revelations to guide him in the establishment and organisation of the church. During that time the Book of Mormon was brought forth, priesthood authority was restored, men were called to high office, and the order of heaven was established. The culmination of all this activity was the official forming of the church on 6 April 1830. This seemed to be the object of the whole Mormon enterprise. David Whitmer, one of the three witnesses to the Book of Mormon, and the man who had underwritten its publication, tells us: ‘After the translation of the Book of Mormon was finished, early in the spring of 1830, before April 6th, Joseph gave the stone to Oliver Cowdery and told me as well as the rest that he was through with it, and he did not use the stone anymore. He said he was through the work God had given him the gift to per-form, except to preach the gospel. He told us that we would have to de...