Evil Efforts To Get the Plates from Joseph Smith

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The Golden Plates were an ancient record, recorded by the ancient inhabitants of the Americas. When Joseph Smith at 22 years old, was given the Golden Plates to translate for the world to read. The Plates were a gift from heaven saved for many years, until the perfect time to bring them forth. Even though, the plates were given to Joseph Smith from God, it did not stop evil people from trying to get them from the young prophet.

Joseph Smith and his family were worried about getting the plates home from the Hill Cumorah, on the very first night, and then keeping the plates protected until the translation was through and the plates were back with the Lord.

Translating and caring for the plates was a very special assignment, and very challenging for the young prophet. Joseph had to stay vigilant, and had to keep the records on the move. All this while trying to provide and care for his young family.

One of the ways Joseph kept the plates safe was hiding the plates in multiple places around the Smith family farm. There were multiple groups of people, some curios and others simply evil, giving their best efforts to get the plates from Joseph.

New hiding places, and different ways to keep the plates safe were always in the works. With the Lord on Joseph's side, the young Prophet was always warned before hand when the plots were set, and the plates remained safe until the translation was complete, and the plates were safely back in heavenly care.

One of the reasons it was so difficult to keep the plates hidden was because Joseph learned about the plates from an angel four years before he was able to get the plates from the Hill. Rumors spread throughout the town, and many knew Joseph was working to obtain the plates. This waiting period provided a way for Joseph to learn and grow in the influence of God, but this long time period it also made it possible for more people to hear about the Plates and plot to get them for evil uses. Multiple evil plots formed with groups of men(and women), trying to reveal Joseph as a fraud, or use the plates to get gain.

Even with multiple groups working against Joseph, The Lord was protecting the Plates, and the evil would never prevail against the Lords will. Joseph was always warned before hand and the Plates stayed safe until the translation was complete.

Multiple Plots to Steal the Golden Plates

It is interesting to note, the people of the Palmyra area were often quoted saying that Joseph Smith was "a liar" and "never had received the plates," and in the next breath multiple efforts were made to steal the plates. Some of the criminals were more effective than others in their efforts to steal the plates from Joseph. There was one man, in particular, named Mr. Willard Chase who was determined to get the plates from Joseph Smith. The Lord would not allow the Golden Plates to be taken, and Joseph Smith was always warned of the wicked efforts, before the evil could get them.

Willard Chase did his research, to plan and prepare for the theft of the Golden Plates. He sought the insights of psychics or “conjornour”, to try to get information on the location of the plates. Willard Chase was also described as a psychic himself. In a description given by Brigham Young, Willard Chase was described as a “fortune teller, a necromancer, an astrologer, a soothsayer, and possessed as much talent as any man that walked on the American soil, and was one of the wickedest men I ever saw”.

Brigham Young also recorded that Mr. Willard Chase was very diligent in his efforts of finding the plates by riding “over sixty miles three times in the same season” in an effort to find the hidden golden plates.

Joseph Smith Sr., found out about the plot to get the gold plates and told the prophets wife, Emma. Even before the warning from his father, Joseph had already been informed of the danger from the Urim and Thummin.

Joseph immediately returned to the Smith farm where he had hidden the plates in a hollowed out log, about three miles from his home. Joseph removed the plates from a hollowed out log, where they had been hidden, wrapped the plates in a linen frock and placed them under his arm and started for home.

After walking for a time, Joseph thought it would be better to get off the road and walk through the woods. After a time he came to a large log and as he was jumping over the log, a man sprang from behind from the ground, and gave Joseph a heavy blow with the back of a gun. The attacks on Joseph did not stop there, but was challenged two more times by individuals who attacked him. During the attack Joseph struck one man, dislocating his thumb and badly bruising his hand.

Joseph was given the promise that the Plates would remain safe as long as he stayed vigilant, and that promise was kept. Joseph and his family were on constantly on guard, everyone making a joint effort to protect this special assignment.

Mobs searching the Smith Farm, Efforts to take the Plates

When the plates were safely on the Smith Family farm, Joseph sent for his brother Don Carlos to fetch a chest where the plates and the other heavenly items could be stored. The Plates were stores in the secure location, in the chest, the Smith family still worried about the evils plans to get the plates from Joseph.

Katherine Smith, the sister of Joseph stated “that from the time the plates were brought into the house, the Smiths premises were searching all around on a regular basis. Mobs of people even looked through the farm’s field and its standing wheat stacks in hopes of finding the rumored treasure.”

Smith Family Scaring the Mob

While the Plates were in the possession of Joseph Smith, the whole Smith family had to be on constant guard and there were multiple times the mob came very close to getting the plates.

One of the best stories is when the Smith Family took on the mob themselves, tricking the mob to leave. This story happened on a day Joseph returned home in a rush worrying about the plates and indicated a mob would be there before nighttime. The Smith family got to work preparing a plan to be ready for the mobs arrival.

The Smith family, with the help of a friend, Mr. Brahman, first made sure the plates would be well hidden from any intruder by taking bricks out of the hearth of their fireplace. They hid the plates in the stop where they removed the bricks and replaced the bricks on top, making it look like the bricks had never been removed.

The Smiths then made a plan to scare the mob away when they arrived. When the mob men rode up to the home, looking for the plates, the Smith family had prepared a plan. The people in the Smith home would scare the mob men away by crashing out of the doors hollering and yelling, as though there was great many people in the home, ready to fight the mob men. When the mob men came, the plan went into action and it worked perfectly. With all the noise and people running out of the home towards them, the mob panicked and fled the area.

Keeping the Golden Plates safe, yet again.

Warnings Saved the Plates

Not long after the last story of the Smiths hiding the Plated in the hearth of the fireplace, there was another threat on the Plates. Joseph hid the plates on the coopers shoe on the Smith family farm. The plates were concealed in the floor of the shop. Joseph, being warned by an angel, “took them out and hid them up in the chamber of the coopers shop among the flax. That night someone came, took up the floor, and dug up the earth, and would have found the plates had they not been removed.”

This was all too much for Joseph, knowing the Plates and his family would not be safe in Palmyra to finish the translation of The Book of Mormon. Joseph and Emma left to Harmony Pennsylvania to continue the translation of The Book of Mormon in peace.

References:

Joseph Smith, Exploring the life and ministry of the Prophet p.70