Mormon Handbook

A REFERENCE TO THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

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Joseph Smith's First Vision


“Joseph Smith’s First Vision stands today as the greatest event in world history since the birth, ministry, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

— "The First Vision"

churchofjesuschrist.org


Contents

TIMELINE
Early 1800’s 1820, Spring 1829, May 15 1832, Sept. 1832, Nov. 1835 1842
Visionary tales common in New England First Vision Joseph claims to receive Aaronic Priesthood Joseph, “no man can see God without priesthood” Earliest account of First Vision Diary version Official version published

In the official version promoted by his church, Mormons are taught that a local revival motivated a teenage Joseph Smith to pray about which church to join. While praying, Joseph claims he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, who told him not to join any church “for they were all wrong”.

No man hath seen God at any time.

Holy Bible

— Apostle John


John 1:18

[God] which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see.

Holy Bible

— Apostle Paul


1 Timothy 6:16

No man hath seen God at any time.

Holy Bible

— Apostle John


1 John 4:12

Our whole strength rests on the validity of that [first] vision. It either occurred or it did not occur. If it did not, then this work is a fraud.

Gordon B. Hinckley

— Gordon B. Hinckley

15th Mormon prophet
"The Marvelous Foundation of Our Faith"
churchofjesuschrist.org


First Vision — Contradictory Versions

Joseph Smith claimed to have received this visitation “in the spring of 1820”, but it wasn’t until 22-years after this event, in 1842, that he published it.

It would appear that the general Church membership did not receive information about the First Vision until the 1840s.

James B. Allen

— James B. Allen

Assistant Church Historian
"The Significance of Joseph Smith’s First Vision in Mormon Thought"
rsc.byu.edu

Furthermore, Joseph appears to have evolved his story over time. His earliest accounts differ from the published version on several key details:


Handwritten Version (1832) (full text)

Joseph wrote his earliest version by hand. For over a century the church kept it vaulted and never formally published it. In this version, he already knew that all churches were wrong before going to pray. In it he claims to have only seen Jesus.

Diary Version (1835) (full text)

Two entries were recorded five days apart. In this version, Joseph refers to this event as “a visitation of angels” and states “I saw many angels in this vision”.

Official Version (1842) (full text)


The official version was published over two decades after the alleged visitation took place. It was canonized in the Pearl of Great Price in 1880.


Version Inconsistencies



Handwritten Version
(1832)
Diary Version
(1835)
Official Version
(1842)
Age of vision

In the 16th year of my age

I was about 14 years old

I was at this time in my fifteenth year

Local revivals

Local revivals prompt Joseph to seek what church to join.

Reason for praying

Here, Joseph had already decided all churches were wrong before praying.

By searching the scriptures I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord but that they had apostatised from the true and living faith and there was no society or denomination that built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Looking at the different systems taught the children of men, I knew not who was right or who was wrong and I considering it of the first importance that I should be right.

My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join…. for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong.

Heard noises

I heard a noise behind me like some person walking towards me. I strove again to pray but could not, the noise of walking seemed to draw nearer, I sprung up on my feet and looked around but saw no person or thing that was calculated to produce the noise of walking.

Overcome by a dark force

Immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me.... Thick darkness gathered around me.

Has difficulty praying

I made a fruitless attempt to pray, my tongue seemed to be swollen in my mouth, so that I could not utter…. I strove again to pray but could not.

I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak.

Who appeared

Only Jesus Christ, implied:

Behold I am the Lord of glory, I was crucified for the world.

Many angels, one testifies about Jesus Christ. Joseph summarized the first as:

The first visitation of angels

And the second vision (angel who informs Joseph of plates) as:

Another vision of angels

Two personages, God the Father and Jesus Christ, implied. One introduces the other:

This is My Beloved Son, Hear Him!

Sins forgiven

I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph my son thy sins are forgiven thee.

He said unto me thy sins are forgiven thee, he testifyed unto me that Jesus Christ is the son of God.



Full Text of Versions



Handwritten Version (1832)


At about the age of twelve years my mind become seriously impressed with regard to the all important concerns of for the welfare of my immortal Soul, which led me to searching the scriptures. Believing as I was taught, that they contained the word of God. Thus applying myself to them, and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations, led me to marvel exceedingly. For I discovered that they did not adorn their profession by a holy walk and Godly conversation, agreeable to what I found contained in that sacred depository. This was a grief to my Soul.

Thus from the age of twelve years to fifteen, I pondered many things in my heart, concerning the situation of the world of mankind; the contentions and divisions the wickedness, and abominations, and the darkness which pervaded the minds of mankind. My mind become exceedingly distressed, for I become convicted of my sins.

And by searching the scriptures, I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord, but that they had apostatised from the true and living faith. And there was no society or denomination that built upon the gospel of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the new testament.

And I felt to mourn for my own sins, and for the sins of the world. For I learned in the scriptures that God was the same yesterday, to day, and forever. That he was no respecter to persons. For he was God. For I looked upon the sun, the glorious luminary of the earth; and also the moon, rolling in their majesty through the heavens; and also the stars, shining in their courses; and the earth, also upon which I stood; and the beast of the field; and the fowls of heaven; and the fish of the waters; and also man, walking forth upon the face of the earth, in majesty and in the strength of beauty, whose power and intelligence in governing the things which are so exceeding great and marvelous, even in the likeness of him who created them. And when I considered upon these things, my heart exclaimed, well hath the wise man said, it is a fool that saith in his heart there is no God. My heart exclaimed, all these bear testimony, and bespeak an omnipotent and omnipresent power; a being who makith Laws and decreeeth and bindeth all things in their bounds; who filleth Eternity; who was and is and will be from all Eternity to Eternity.

And when I considered all these things, and that being seeketh such to worship him, as worship him in spirit and in truth, therefore I cried unto the Lord for mercy. For there was none else to whom I could go and to obtain mercy. And the Lord heard my cry in the wilderness.

And while in the attitude of calling upon the Lord, in the 16th year of my age, a pillar of fire, light above the brightness of the sun at noon day, come down from above and rested upon me, and I was filled with the spirit of god. And the Lord opened the heavens upon me, and I saw the Lord. And he spake unto me saying, Joseph my son, thy sins are forgiven thee. Go thy way, walk in my statutes and keep my commandments. Behold I am the Lord of glory. I was crucified for the world. That all those who believe on my name may have Eternal life. Behold the world lieth in sin, and at this time and none doeth good, no not one. They have turned aside from the gospel and keep not my commandments. They draw near to me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me. And mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants of the earth, to visit them according to their ungodliness, and to bring to pass that which hath been spoken by the mouth of the prophets and Apostles. Behold, and lo, I come quickly. As it is written of me in the cloud, clothed in the glory of my Father.

And my soul was filled with love. And for many days I could rejoice with great Joy. And the Lord was with me, but could find none that would believe the heavenly vision. Nevertheless, I pondered these things in my heart.

Added punctuation and minor spelling corrected

Joseph Smith

— Joseph Smith

Mormonism founder
"History, circa Summer 1832", pp. 1-3
josephsmithpapers.org


Diary Version (1835)

I commenced giving him a relation of the circumstances connected with the coming forth of the book of Mormon, as follows—being wrought up in my mind, respecting the subject of religion and looking at the different systems taught the children of men, I knew not who was right or who was wrong and considering it of the first importance that I should be right, in matters that involved eternal consequences.

Being thus perplexed in mind, I retired to the silent grove and bowed down before the Lord, under a realising sense that he had said (if the bible be true) ask and you shall receive, knock and it shall be opened, seek and you shall find. And again, if any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not. Information was what I most desired at this time, and with a fixed determination to obtain it, I called upon the Lord for the first time, in the place above stated. Or in other words I made a fruitless attempt to pray. My tongue seemed to be swollen in my mouth, so that I could not utter.

I heard a noise behind me like some person walking towards me. I strove again to pray, but could not. The noise of walking seemed to draw nearer. I sprung up on my feet, and looked around, but saw no person or thing that was calculated to produce the noise of walking.

I kneeled again, my mouth was opened and my tongue liberated, and I called on the Lord in mighty prayer. A pillar of fire appeared above my head. It presently rested down upon me, and filled me with joy unspeakable. A personage appeared in the midst, of this pillar of flame, which was spread all around, and yet nothing consumed. Another personage soon appeared like unto the first, he said unto me, thy sins are forgiven thee. He testifyed unto me that Jesus Christ is the son of God. And I saw many angels in this vision. I was about 14 years old when I received this first communication; When I was about 17 years old I saw another vision of angels.

Added punctuation and minor spelling corrected

Joseph Smith

— Joseph Smith

Mormonism founder
"Journal, 1835-1836", pp. 22-23
josephsmithpapers.org

A Gentleman called this after noon by the name of Erastus Holmes of Newbury, Clermont Co., Ohio. He called to make inquiry about the establishment of the Church of the latter-day Saints and to be instructed more perfectly in our doctrine, etc.

I commenced and gave him a brief relation of my experience while in my juvenile years; say from 6 years old up to the time I received the first visitation of Angels, which was when I was about 14 years old. And also the visitations that I received afterward, concerning the book of Mormon; and a short account of the rise and progress of the church up to this date.

Added punctuation and minor spelling corrected

Joseph Smith

— Joseph Smith

Mormonism founder
"Journal, 1835-1836", pp. 36-37
josephsmithpapers.org


Official Version (1842)


I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.

During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.

My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.

In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?

While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: 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.

Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.

At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God. I at length came to the determination to "ask of God," concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally, and not upbraid, I might venture.

So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.

After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.

But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.

It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.

I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: "they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof."

Added punctuation and minor spelling corrected

Joseph Smith

— Joseph Smith

Mormonism founder
Joseph Smith—History 1:7-19
josephsmithpapers.org


Conclusion

For well over a century, the church presented a consistent version to its members:

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