Martin Harris Guided by Angel's Warning to Preserve Sacred Records

Joseph Smith was frequently persecuted and pursued by enemies seeking to obtain the sacred gold plates from which the Book of Mormon was translated. Like Joseph and Mary, the mother of Jesus, being warned of God to flee from place to place to save the young child, Joseph Smith was warned many times by the Lord or kind angels of the pursuit of his enemies, enabling him to preserve the sacred records. These miraculous warnings came repeatedly throughout Joseph's early ministry as he traveled from New York to Pennsylvania and continued through his labors. Through these divine warnings and protections, Joseph was barely able to escape his pursuers. This pattern of angelic intervention demonstrated God's care for the precious records and His hand in protecting the restoration work.