TO OLIVER COWDERY
1829 OCTOBER 22

FC Joseph Smith, Harmony, Pennsylvania to Oliver Cowdery, Palmyra, New York, 22 October 1829, Joseph Smith's Letterbook 1, p.9, in the hand of Frederick G. Williams, Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City.

Joseph Smith claimed that a heavenly messenger appeared to him in September 1823 and informed him of an ancient record written on gold plates buried in a hill not far from his Manchester, New York, home. He asserted further that in 1827 he obtained the plates and with divine aid translated the record engraved upon them, which contained an account of people who once lived on the American continent and had been favored with a visit of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is the product of this claim. Once knowledge of Joseph Smith's possession of gold plates spread through his neighborhood so strenuous were efforts to get the treasure from him that he was forced to move to Harmony, Pennsylvania, to continue his work on the record. But again there the ugly image of persecution raised its head.

Joseph left Harmony in June 1829 and moved to the Peter Whitmer home in Fayette, New York to finish the translation of the Book of Mormon in the face of growing opposition against him in Pennsylvania. Upon completing the translation, Joseph negotiated with a Palmyra publisher, Egbert B. Grandin, to print 5,000 copies of the book for $3,000. He also ordered a complete copy of the manuscript to be made as insurance against loss of the original. Then, leaving Oliver Cowdery, who had assisted with much of the translation, to supervise the publication with strict instructions for protecting the manuscript, Joseph returned to his home in Pennsylvania. On 22 October, less than three weeks after arriving there, he wrote the following letter to Cowdery.411

Harmony Oct. 22d 1829
Respected Sir

I would in form you that I arrived at home on sunday morning the 4th after having a prosperous Journey, and found all well the people are all friendly to <us> except a few who are in opposition to evry thing unless it is some thing that is exactly like themselves and two of our most formadable persacutors are now under censure and are cited to a tryal in the church for crimes which if true are worse than all the Gold Book business. we do not rejoice in the affliction of our enimies but we shall be glad to have truth prevail there begins to be a great call for our books in this country the minds of the people are very much excited when they find that there is a copy right obtained412 and that there is really [a] book, about to be printed I have bought a horse of Mr. [Josiah] Stowell and want some one to come after it as soon as convenient Mr. Stowell has a prospect of getting five or six hundred dollars he does not know certain that he can get it but he is a going to try and if he can get the money he wants to pay it in immediately for books we want to hear from you and know how you prosper in the good work, give our best respects to Father & Mother and all our brothers and Sisters, to Mr. [Martin] Harris and all the company concerned tell them that our prayers are put up daily for them that they may be prospered in evry, good word and work and that they may be preserved from sin here and and from the consequence of sin hereafter and now dear brother be faithful in the discharge of evry duty looking for the reward of the righteous and now may God of his infinite mercy keep and preserve us spotless untill his coming and receive us all to rest with him in eternal repose through the attonement of Christ our Lord Amen

Joseph Smith Jr

Oliver H. Cowdery