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| editorial modification of well-known painting by Tom Lovell |
Latter-day Saints around the world recognize that September 21 is the day Moroni first appeared to Joseph Smith, as described first in Oliver Cowdery's Letter IV and six years later in Joseph Smith - History.
We celebrate this date because it ushered in the Restoration. As Joseph wrote later,
And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed.
(Doctrine and Covenants 128:20)
I suggested on another blog that people celebrate Moroni Day by reading the earliest and most detailed description of Moroni's first visit, which is in the Joseph Smith Papers here:
Here are two simple suggestions for Moroni Day that I would like the M2Cers and B2Cers to consider, based on unambiguous and authentic historical sources.
- Recognize and teach that it was Moroni who first identified the hill in New York as "Cumorah."
- Recognize and teach that it was not Moroni who met David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery and Joseph Smith on the road to Fayette, nor was it Moroni who showed plates to Mary Whitmer.
Naturally, the M2Cers and B2Cers will say the historical sources were merely speculation and were wrong. And that's fine. They can believe and teach whatever they want. But they should at least teach their followers actual history instead of pretending these sources don't exist.
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Maybe if all Latter-day Saints around the world (and especially at BYU) honored Moroni and his legacy by teaching the full history we would be closer to the promised day when the Lord will reveal the rest of the plates.
