| At age 14 or 15, Joseph,
concerned about the salvation of his soul, and desiring to know which church
is true, goes to a grove of trees to pray. He is tempted by the powers of
darkness, but continues to pray until a bright light appears in the heavens.
It gradually descends, his mind is "caught away," and he is "enwrapped
in heavenly vision." He sees two personages and is told that his sins
are forgiven, that all churches wrong, he is not to join any, and the fullness
of gospel will be made known to him later. |
| This first published
account of the vision appears in Orson's A [sic] Interesting Account
of Several Remarkable Visions, and of the late Discovery of Ancient American
Records, printed in late September or early October 1840 in Scotland. |
| Joseph's
birth |
|
Mr. Joseph Smith, jun.
who made the following important discovery, was born in the town of Sharon,
Windsor county, Vermont, on the 23d December, A.D. 1805. |
|
|
| Move
to Palmyra, Manchester |
|
When ten years old,
his parents, with their family, moved to Palmyra, New York; in the vicinity
of which he resided for about eleven years, the latter part in the town
of Manchester. |
|
|
| Farmed |
|
Cultivating the earth
for a livelihood was his occupation, in which he employed the most of his
time. |
|
|
| Literate,
but uneducated |
|
His advantages for acquiring
literary knowledge, were exceedingly small; hence, his education was limited
to a slight acquaintance, with two or three of the common branches of learning.
He could read without much difficulty, and write a very imperfect hand;
and had a very limited understanding of the ground rules of arithmetic.
These were his highest and only attainments; while the rest of those branches,
so universally taught in the common schools, throughout the United States,
were entirely unknown to him. |
|
¶
Joseph's 1832 History |
14
or 15 years old
Concern for salvation |
|
When somewhere about
fourteen or fifteen years old, he began seriously to reflect upon the necessity
of being prepared for a future state of existence; but how, or in what way,
to prepare himself, was a question, as yet, undetermined in his own mind. |
|
Joseph's
first account: refelcts 12–15 yrs old. ¶
Joseph's 1832 History
Vision in 16th year (15). ¶ Joseph's
1832 History
14 in both Joseph's 1835 Accounts of the First
Vision. |
|
|
He perceived that it
was a question of infinite importance, and that the salvation of his soul
depended upon a correct understanding of the same. |
|
¶ Joseph's 1832 History |
|
|
He saw, that if he understood
not the way, it would be impossible to walk in it, except by chance; and
the thought of resting his hopes of eternal life upon chance, or uncertainties,
was more than he could endure. |
|
|
| Denominations
disagree |
|
If he went to the religious
denominations to seek information, each one pointed to its particular tenets,
saying—"This is the way, walk ye in it;" while, at the same
time, the doctrines of each were in many respects, in direct opposition
to one another. |
|
|
| One God,
one doctrine |
|
It also occurred to
his mind that God was the author of but one doctrine, and therefore could
acknowledge but one denomination as his church, and that such denomination
must be a people who believe and teach that one doctrine, (whatever it may
be,) and build upon the same. |
|
|
| Which
church is true? |
|
He then reflected upon
the immense number of doctrines, now in the world, which had given rise
to many hundreds of different denominations. The great question to be decided
in his mind, was—if any one of these denominations be the Church of
Christ, which one is it? Until he could become satisfied in relations to
this question, he could not rest contented. |
|
|
| How to
know |
|
To trust to the decisions
of fallible man, and build his hopes upon the same, without any certainty,
and knowledge of his own, would not satisfy the anxious desires that pervaded
his breast. To decide, without any positive and definite evidence, on which
he could rely, upon a subject involving the future welfare of his soul,
was revolting to his feelings. |
|
|
| Scriptures |
|
The only alternative,
that seemed to be left him was to read the Scriptures, and endeavor to follow
their directions. He, accordingly commenced persuing the sacred pages of
the Bible, with sincerity, believing the things that he read. |
|
|
| James
1:5 |
|
His mind soon caught
hold of the following passage:—"If any of you lack wisdom let
him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and
it shall be given him."—James 1:5. |
|
Not
mentioned in 1832 history. |
| Ask
and receive |
|
From this promise he
learned, that it was the privilege of all men to ask God for wisdom, with
the sure and certain expectation of receiving liberally; without being upbraided
for so doing. This was cheering information to him; tidings that gave him
great joy. It was like a light shinning forth in a dark place, to guide
him to the path in which he should walk. |
|
|
| |
|
He now saw that if he
inquired of God, there was not only a possibility, but a probability; yea,
more, a certainty, that he should obtain a knowledge, which, of all the
doctrines, was the doctrine of Christ; and, which of all the churches, was
the church of Christ. |
|
|
| Prays
in grove |
|
He therefore, retired
to a secret place in a grove, but a short distance from his father's house,
and knelt down, and began to call upon the Lord. |
|
|
| Tempted
by powers of darkness |
|
At first, he was severely
tempted by the powers of darkness, which endeavored to overcome him; but
he continued to seek for deliverance, until darkness gave way from his mind, |
|
Not
in 1832 history. |
| Enabled
to pray |
|
and he was enabled to
pray in feverency of the spirit, and in faith. And while thus pouring out
his soul, anxiously desiring an answer from God, |
|
|
| Bright
light gradually descends |
|
he at length, saw a
very bright and glorious light in the heavens above; which, at first, seemed
to be a considerable distance. He continued praying, while the light appeared
to be gradually descending towards him; and as it drew nearer, it increased
in brightness and magnitude, so that, by the time that it reached the tops
of the trees, the whole wilderness, for some distance around was illuminated
in a most glorious and brilliant manner. |
|
¶
Joseph's 1832 History |
| Expected
trees to burn |
|
He expected to have
seen the leaves and boughs of the trees consumed, as soon as the light came
in contact with them; |
|
|
| Encouraged
when they don't |
|
but perceiving that
it did not produce that effect, he was encouraged with the hope of being
able to endure its presence. It continued descending slowly, until it rested
upon the earth, and he was enveloped in the midst of it. |
|
|
Peculiar
sensation
Caught away from natural objects
Heavenly vision |
|
When it first came upon
him, it produced a peculiar sensation throughout his whole system; and immediately,
his mind was caught away, from the natural objects with which he was surrounded;
and he was enwapped in a heavenly vision, |
|
|
| Two
identical personages |
|
and
saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in their features
or likeness. |
|
¶
Joseph's 1832 History: only the Lord mentioned
¶ Joseph's 1835 Accounts of the First
Vision: one personage, then another
¶ 1835 Accounts of the First Vision:
only angels |
| Sins
forgiven |
|
He
was informed that his sins were forgiven. |
|
¶
Joseph's 1832 History |
|
|
He was also informed
upon the subjects, which had for some time previously agitated his mind, |
|
|
Churches
teach false doctrines
None acknowledge God
Do not join |
|
viz.—that all the
religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines; and consequently,
that none of them was acknowledged of God, as his church and kingdom. And
he was expressly commanded, to go not after them; |
|
Not
in 1832 history. |
| Fullness
of the gospel to be revealed to him later |
|
and he received a promise
that the true doctrine the fulness of the gospel, should, at some future
time, be made known to him; |
|
|
| Calm
and peaceful |
|
after
which, the vision withdrew, leaving his mind in a state of calmness and
peace, indescribable. |
|
¶
Joseph's 1832 History |
|
|
First Vision Accounts
Visions
|