A Sacred Place

A SACRED PLACE By Dr. J. Orval Ellsworth, Oklahoma A. and M. College "Put off thy shoes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground." This statement may fittingly be applied to certain places on the American continent. The "Mountain of God" was sacred to the ancients. From Horeb, or Mount -Sinai, God spoke to Moses and sent him to deliver Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians. From the woods of central New York, God spoke to Joseph Smith and sent him forth, endowed with the holy Priesthood and the same authority as given to Moses, to deliver all mankind from the bondage of Satan. The modern Christian ha3 developed a veneration for certain places of early ecclesiastical importance. To visit Jerusalem and the Holy Land is the fondest dream of many. Time and distance add to the significance of such places. The statement of the Savior, "A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country," applies equally well to places. A place must be far away and relatively inaccessible to be appreciated. Those who live the nearest are fre- quently the last to make the visit. One thousand years hence, in a land far from our own, honest souls may pray for and look forward to the privilege of visiting the only place on earth where God the Father has appeared in person to one of his children on the earth. The Bible and the Book of Mor- mon tell of the voice of the Father being heard in approval and in in- troduction of his Son. To the last dispensation, however, was left the singular distinction of recording the Father's divine appearance to man. Many people and even many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pass near the "Sacred Grove," at Palmyra. New York, without visiting that "Shrine of Shrine9," that most sacred of sacred places. Yearly, thousands pass near the place where less than one hundred years ago "The God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, and the kingdom shall not be left to other people." Ninety-seven years ago, in the farm house of Peter Whitmer. the organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints took place. In the years since April 6, 1830, many people have visited that sacred place. However, only within the past year has the old farm been purchased by the Church, which incident should and will stimulate enthusiasm in the birthplace of "Mormonism." The Whitmer farm was the scene of the first public sermon of this dispensation, preached in the authority of the holy Priesthood by Oliver Cowdery, April 11, 1830. The first conference of the Church was held there, June 9, 1830, and the second conference was

1014 IMPROVEMENT ERA Top: The front of the Peter Whitmer home, in which it is probable the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on April 6, 1830. Note the attic offset projecting to the front, at one time supported by New England style pillars. Also observe near the eves to the right, small attic windows of rooms possibly used to accommodate the Saints who attended the early conferences of the Church. The house faces the south. The picture was taken looking north. Bottom: Rear and side view of the Whitmer home looking southeast. Note the apparent spaciousness of the building, also the drain pipes used to preserve the rain water falling on the roof. held in the same place, Sept, 26, 1830. The revelations in twenty-two sections of the Doctrine and Covenants were received while the Prophet was a guest of the Whitmers. The Whitmer home served as a haven to the Prophet, his wife and

A SACRED PLACE 1015 Oliver Cowdery when, in June, 1829, they were forced by persecution to leave Harmony, Pennsylvania. The Whitmers gladly extended every courtesy. Not only did they contribute lodging and food, but members of the family aided as scribes in the completing of .the transla- tion of the Book of Mormon. Other incidents which happened at the Whitmer farm include the visit of Moroni to the three witnesses. Although conclusive evidence has not yet been established as to the exact identity of the house in which the Church was organized, conditions favor the house now standing as the place. Broken dishes and pottery, together with an old well, indicate that at one time another house stood about one hundred feet to the southwest of the present building. The first house on such a pioneer farm was in all probability far inferior to the present structure. The fact that Peter Whitmer purchased the one hundred acres, March 7, 1827, for the small sum of five hundred dollars ($500),* only two years previous to the visit of the Prophet, and sold the place four years later for two thousand, two hundred dollars ($2,200) ** suggests that the industry of Peter Whitmer, his wife and eight children, stimulated by the open- ing of the Erie Canal in 1825, was responsible for the increase in value of the place, and asi a part of the improvements erected the buildings which are still in good condition. The present house, with the New England style pillars (since removed) extending from the foundation to the gable, undoubtedly was a real mansion in its day. Another significant condition favoring the present building as the one in which the Church was organized is, that in addition to housing the Whitmer family of ten, the Prophet, his wife and par- ents, other members of his father's family, Oliver Cowdery and Martin Harris were all entertained for a considerable length of time. No small place could have accommodated the first and second con- ferences of the Church. At the latter conference probably most of the then sixty-two members were present: Peter Whitmer sold the farm April 1, 1831, and moved with the Saints to Kirtland, Ohio. Stillwater, Oklahoma. *Seneca County Book of Deeds S., p. 5 67. Purchased from Moses Miller. ** April 1, 1831, to Charles Stuart, Book of Deeds W.. p. 318. Life's Battle Life's battle line is surging — Springing forth to meet the foe! And Good is stamping out the 111, And crushing pain and woe! Right's banners flutter in the breeze, Triumphant on the field! And Love and Peace together work, And n'er to Evil yield ! Weston n. Nordgran