Joseph Smith's First Vision: Fact or Fiction?

MRM ^ | Wesley Walters

[Gamecock]

The well-publicized story of Joseph Smith's First Vision is not a true account of the origin of the Latter-day Saint movement. The facts are decided against it! First, the historical evidence shows that Joseph Smith, Jr. could not have been stirred by an 1820 revival, to ask which church was true. Second, early Mormon statements do not support his claim that in 1820 he learned through a visitation of the Father and the Son that all existing churches were wrong. Third, the details known about Joseph's early life contradict his assertion that in 1820 he had such a divine visitation and was persecuted by the community for telling such a story.

No 1820 Revival

First, his neighborhood in 1820 experienced no revival such as he described, in which "great multitudes" joined the Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian churches. The Presbyterian records for the Palmyra Presbyterian Church show that it experienced no revival in 1820. (See Geneva Presbytery "Records," Presbyterian Historical Society.) The local Baptist church gained only six on profession of faith the entire year ("Records for the First Baptist Church in Palmyra," American Baptist Historical Society) while the Methodists actually lost members that year as well as the preceding and following years (Minutes of the Annual Conference).

Joseph Smith claimed that his mother, sister and two brothers were led to join the local Presbyterian Church as a result of that 1820 revival. However, four years before he made this claim, his own church paper had stated that the revival in which his family had been led to join the Presbyterian Church took place in 1823 (Messenger & Advocate I, pp. 42, 78). In fact, that account says it was the same 1823 revival that led him to go to his bedroom (not to a sacred grove) and pray "if a Supreme being did exist" and to know that "he was accepted of him." An angel (not a deity) is then reported to have appeared and told him of his forgiveness and of the gold plates.

Joseph's mother, likewise, knew nothing of an 1820 vision. In her unpublished account, she traces the origin of Mormonism to a bedroom visit by an angel. Joseph at the time had been "pondering which of the churches were the true one." The angel told him "there is not a true church on Earth. No not one" (First draft of "Lucy Smith's History," LDS Church Archives).

Furthermore, she tells us that the revival which led her joining the church took place following the death of her son, Alvin. Alvin died Nov. 19, 1823, and following that painful loss she reports that, "about this time there was a great revival in religion and the whole neighborhood was very much aroused to the subject and we among the rest, flocked to the meeting house to see if there was a word of comfort for us that might relieve our over-charged feelings" (p. 55-56).

She adds that although her husband would only attend the first meetings, he had no objection to her or the children "going or becoming church members." There is plenty of additional evidence that the revival Lucy Smith refers to did occur during the winter of 1824-25. It was reported in at least a dozen newspapers and religious periodicals. The church records show outstanding increases due to the reception of new converts. The Baptist church received 94, the Presbyterian 99, while the Methodist work grew by 208. No such revival bringing in "great multitudes" occurred in 1820.

It is clear that the revival Joseph Smith, Jr. described did not occur in 1820, but in 1824. Joseph Smith arbitrarily moved that revival back four years to 1820 and made it fit a First Vision story that neither his mother nor other close associates had heard of in those early days. The historical facts completely discredit Joseph Smith's First Vision story. (For further details, see "Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought" Spring 1969, pp. 59-100.)

Bible Reading Vs. Revelations

Furthermore, about 1832 Joseph Smith, Jr. began an account of the origin of the Mormon Church (the only one written in his own hand) that contradicts the official First Vision story he dictated some six years later. The account was never finished. (See the text in BYU Studies, Spring 1969, pp. 278ff.)

In this version Joseph presents himself between the ages of 12 and 15 as being a committed and perceptive reader of the Bible. He claims that his study of the Scriptures led him to understand that all of the denominations were wrong. He wrote: "By searching the Scriptures I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord but that they had apostatized 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."

Six years later, when he set forth his official First Vision story, he decided that he never had reached the firm conclusion that all churches were wrong from his study of the Bible. Instead, he claimed that it was during a vision of the Father and the Son that he first learned this information. He presented this as coming as a great surprise, for he added parenthetically -- "for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong." That statement even contradicted what Joseph had said a few paragraphs earlier in the same account. There he claimed that "I often said to myself ...Who of all these parties are right; or are they all wrong together?" Although the former statement appears in the original manuscript (see BYU Studies above, pg. 290), such a serious contradiction could not be allowed to stand, and after Joseph's death the embarrassing words were edited out.

Even without those words, however, the 1838 official account is in conflict with the 1832 version. In the 1832 account it is his Bible reading that stirs him to seek God, while in the 1838 story it is a non-existent revival that motivates him.

In the 1832 version he claims to have seen only Christ, while in the 1838 rendition both the Father and the Son appear. In the 1832 account he already knows all the churches are wrong, while in the 1838 story it is the dual deities who first inform him of this. Different people may have different views of the same event, but when one person tells contradictory stories about an event, he completely loses his credibility.

Persecution Vs. Acceptance

The 1838 First Vision story not only runs into trouble with Joseph's earlier 1832 version, but it is also contradicted by what we know about his early years in Palmyra. In his official version Joseph claims he was persecuted by all the churches in his area "because I continued to affirm I had seen a vision." However, Orsemus Turner, an apprentice printer in Palmyra until 1822, was in the same juvenile debating club with Joseph Smith. He recalled that Joseph "after catching a spark of Methodism ...became a very passable exhorter in evening meetings" (History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, 1851, p. 214). Thus, instead of being opposed and persecuted as his 1838 account claims, young Joseph was welcomed and allowed to exhort during the Methodist's evening preaching. Furthermore, no one, either Mormon or non-Mormon, seems ever to have heard of Joseph's encounter with two divine Personages until after 1838. (See this admission in Dialogue, Autumn 1966, pp. 30-31; Saints Herald, June 29, 1959, pg. 21.)

From all available lines of evidence, therefore, Joseph's First Vision story appears to be a fabrication. There was no revival [as described by Smith] anywhere in the Palmyra area in 1820. Joseph was welcomed, not persecuted, by the Methodists. His 1832 account represents him as perceiving from his personal Bible study that all the churches were apostate, while his 1838 account said it "never entered into my heart that all were wrong." His 1832 version claimed only a vision of Christ, while the 1838 story transformed this into the Father and the Son. No one ever heard such a story until after he dictated it in 1838. In the light of such strong contradictory evidence, the First Vision story must be regarded as only the invention of Joseph Smith's highly imaginative mind. The facts and Joseph's words discredit it.

[SENTINEL]

"a constant stream of lies, false histories and every other kind of vile concoction"

This is another personal attack on we Christians.

Our referenced quotes are available for you to check out on your own, I DARE YOU TO PROVE US LIARS !!...GO AHEAD, CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF !

Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mar 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
Luk 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

[Osage Orange]

Some questions....

Are you a mormon?

Who is "mormon the prophet"?

Are there any shrines to J. Smith?

Do you believe that B. Young, and J. Smith are prophets of God? If so, how do you know this?

Are you calling Rev. Wright...an equal to J. Smith?

Can you tell me how many zero's in 50 billion?

[greyfoxx39]

“How many gallons of gas do you burn when returning your Netflix movies?”

[Osage Orange]

I don't subscribe to Netflix...........

Can't answer that...

[POWG]

Thank you for reading my post – it was rather long. You are correct that I was appealing for civility. And maybe I WAS whining about being attacked. That is probably why my statement about “a constant stream of lies, false histories and every other kind of vile concoction” slipped in there. I get very frustrated by what I consider to be constant and unwarranted attacks. Of course, you see things differently.

To answer your other questions I really do read the posts and my Baptist mother did not attend my Temple wedding. Now let me ask you a question – respectfully. Do you agree with everything that is said or written by every Christian leader from Martin Luther down to Jeremy Wright?? If you do not – how do you reconcile that with taking the words of my church leaders as proof that the teachings are false?? Also, if the Grace of Christ is sufficient for all who believe in Him and call on His name, why is my faith in Him NOT sufficient?

[Osage Orange]

Let me just slip this in......

Why in the world would a Christian mother of the groom/bride...not be allowed to attend a "Christian" wedding?

And BTW,...Rev. Wright ain't no prophet or the "founder" of a religion. Do you not see the difference?

[Graybeard58]

And BTW,...Rev. Wright ain't no prophet or the "founder" of a religion.

I've never heard anyone claim that "rev" wright had to approve someone in order for them to see heaven either.

[SENTINEL]

POWG, Joseph Smith claimed to be greater than Christ himself, according to Church Historical records. He was THE FOUNDER of MORMONISM, not some red herring such as your "Rev Wright" argument. The only fair Comparison is the founder of the LDS church, Joe Smith, Versus the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christ never uttered a lie or a false prohecy, Smith many of both.

"President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit. . . . it was the will of God that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the Lord, which was nigh — even fifty six years should wind up the scene." (History of the Church, Vol. 2, page 182).This prophecy was spoken by Joseph Smith in 1835, and recorded by Oliver Cowdery. The fifty-six years were passed by 1891.

Deuteronomy 18:22 (King James Version) 22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will come out on top at last. I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor Jesus ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet...When they can get rid of me, the devil will also go." (History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 408, 409)- Joseph Smith: founder, prophet, seer, and revelator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I am

[greyfoxx39]

Re your questions: Do you agree with everything that is said or written by every Christian leader from Martin Luther down to Jeremy Wright??

IF Christian leaders had claimed the status of prophet of God, the spokesman for Him on earth, I would be in the same leaky boat that you are in.

However, NONE of the Christian leaders have ever claimed that kind of superiority...they are/were all men/women, and I would hold their words to the same level of credibility as any other man. For instance, I have changed congregations because I disagreed with the words of a pastor...which BTW, mormons are NOT allowed to do.

The "living prophet" claim of the LDS wherein men (your leaders) are supposed to have spoken FOR God puts a much higher value on their words, and thus a much higher scrutiny.

the Grace of Christ is sufficient for all who believe in Him and call on His name, why is my faith in Him NOT sufficient?

I have no way of knowing what YOUR personal faith in Christ consists of. I would never, as some of your co-religionists have done on this forum, call YOUR testimony either a lie, or "incorrectly arrived at".

I am a former mormon, and all the time I was growing up, the mormon church stressed the "specialness" of mormonism and emphasized that it was NOT the same as the Christian churches...this has changed. There are posts after posts here regarding the difference in the Christ mormons claim and the Christ most Christians know. The Christ I know was NEVER a man. Have you considered the Christ you claim in that light?

What I do know is that there are thousands of your missionaries going out daily telling Christians that THEIR faith in Christ is not sufficient. Doesn't that ever enter your mind? Do YOU believe that your religion is "saving souls" by doing this? If so, why would you deny those of us who are of a different faith that ability?

One thing I will stress to you is this: There are mormons here who consistently make remarks claiming that "The LDS church is THE Lord's anointed", "The LDS folks are purer, cleaner, more blessed because of Joseph Smith"....there is a real "attitude of superiority" by some of them...perhaps you should take this kind of challenge into account when you are feeling picked on by our responses.

[SENTINEL]

...I am not afraid of Joseph Smith. The Bible tells me to not fear this man.

[Colofornian]

Do you agree with everything that is said or written by every Christian leader from Martin Luther down to Jeremy Wright?? If you do not – how do you reconcile that with taking the words of my church leaders as proof that the teachings are false??POWG

IF Christian leaders had claimed the status of prophet of God, the spokesman for Him on earth, I would be in the same leaky boat that you are in. However, NONE of the Christian leaders have ever claimed that kind of superiority...they are/were all men/women, and I would hold their words to the same level of credibility as any other man...The "living prophet" claim of the LDS wherein men (your leaders) are supposed to have spoken FOR God puts a much higher value on their words, and thus a much higher scrutiny.[GreyFoxx]

Good response, GF.

POWG, let us all know when Luther and Jeremy Wright's words are canonized as "Scripture" like Joseph Smith, Jr., Joseph F. Smith, etc. or treated at Scriptural-level authority (like Lorenzo Snow's couplet) & the declarations of polygamy & black discrimination being ushered out the door.

Also, if the Grace of Christ is sufficient for all who believe in Him and call on His name, why is my faith in Him NOT sufficient?

Because the very articles of faith of Mormonism even say that faith alone isn't sufficient. There's a long checklist of "to do" items...
...ordinances & temple rituals to be performed...
...a word of wisdom to keep...
...a person to marry -- and not become divorced from...
...worthiness to attain temple access credited to your personal account, which must be preceded by your tithe (thereby essentially paying a temple tax for temple access)...
...good works sourced in Mormon precepts & commandments from 4 sacred books & 2 a-year general conference sessions & curricula & what your general authorities & local bishop tells you...
...and, indeed, if you happen to repent as your articles of faith tell you, according to Kimball's Miracle of Forgiveness, should you repeat the sin you repented for, Kimball assures you that you never really repented to begin with...

You are in a catch-22 cycle of hopelessness not only re: such legalistic repentance but that which is summarized well by 2 Nephi 2:25: "You are saved by grace AFTER ALL YOU CAN DO."

The Book of Mormon doesn't say you are saved by grace BEFORE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO or mid-stream -- only afterwards...and grace is some elusive wave of divine mercy only posted to your personal account after ALL you've done. To such perfection-seekers, sins of omission spiritually flunk more folks on a quest for perfection than anything...and believe me, it's a failed quest, because grace is never God's after-thought operating only as an after-burner. ["Be perfect even as your Father is in heaven" is both in Matt. 5:48 and there's a similar passage in one of the Nephite books. And note that "BE" doesn't mean become perfect, but BE]..." (Matthew 5:48). James 2 says if you've broken one part of the law, you're guilty of all of it.

So, the issue for the average Mormon is not the sufficiency of the grace of Christ; because that option has been removed by their spiritual leaders. Nope.
Instead of the great emphasis upon faith; rather it's works.
Instead of the great emphasis upon grace; rather it's worthiness & merit & earned perfection.

POWG...I invite you to the wide-open grace as likely rec'd w/open arms by your Baptist mother -- to her faith in the "faith delivered ONCE for all to the saints" -- Jude 3. The heritage of that faith goes back through your mother to the ones Jude wrote about. It wasn't delivered by the Holy Spirit, only to be wiped off the earth for so-called "apostates" like me & your Mom. We are not "apostates." I'm not. Your mom isn't.

Come home. Let Christ's righteousness be your own, for He is mine (1 Cor. 1:30). Let His perfect life stand in place for yours and mine. And only then will His obedience spur yours -- not as some divine payback plan -- but as a covenant expressed in Love.

[MHGinTN]

Selah

[NoCmpromiz]

I belong to one of the churches that J. Smith said was "apostate".

I thought he said all churches but his were apostate... So then I betcha you're not Mormon! ;-)

[DeLaVerdad]

I only need to read the title to answer with a whole-hearted “FICTION!” Anything or anyone whose doctrine contradicts scripture (THE BIBLE) is fiction. Now, to make this statement one needs to believe that the Bible/Christianity is an absolute. For me it is, 100%, without a doubt. That wasn’t always the case, but once you truly and fully know Truth (the person of Christ) everything is measured up to Him. I won’t argue this topic because it’s a fact for me that was divinely imparted. I can’t do that for anyone else.

[Elsie]

Do you believe any of this, from your own teachings?

[Elsie]

 

Give us a break, you know Brigham Young is nothing but a mormon basher...

 

Then WHY did they name this UNIVERSITY after him??

---

Professor Robert Millet        teaching at the Mission Prep Club in 2004  http://newsnet.byu.edu/video/18773/

---

 

 

Timeline...    Subject...

 

0:59            "Anti-Mormons..."

1:16            "ATTACK the faith you have..."

2:02           "We really aren't obligated to answer everyone's questions..."

3:57           "You already know MORE about God and Christ and the plan of salvation than any who would ATTACK you."

[Elsie]

 I get very frustrated by what I consider to be constant and unwarranted attacks.

 

 

Learn to live with it!

 

 

The FOLOWING has NEVER been recinded!

 

 

 

http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/19#19   17 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!   18 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.   19 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.”   20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.”

 

 

[POWG]

Learn to live with it!
________________________________

Thank you Elsie. That is a very helpful response. I will remember your kindness.

[DeLaVerdad]

0:59 SECRET CODE

1:16 SECRET CODE

2:02 SECRET CODE

3:57 SECRET CODE

Your religion is about brainwashing and secrets - Christianity is about Truth. Christians don't hide things or have secret ceremonies. Our God is not about secrets. He is about freedom and truth.

[DeLaVerdad]

No disrespect to any of you LDSers but to hold to the truth ask yourself this - why are you forbidden from wearing a cross, having a cross in your churches/temples/wards, etc. Why are you told not to focus on the cross because it is sad? It’s because Satan does not want you to remember that without the cross you have no salvation. Without the work of the cross you will not go to the “celestial kingdom” ... the CROSS and the BLOOD of Christ is what saves you and your response to that great gift and love is works. Why do you have water at your sacrament and not the representative grape juice? Water does not save - blood does. Your religion should not hold the name of Christ in it’s title “The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints” - that title belongs to Christians ... those who follow His teachings - your Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible. Period. The end. Plain and simple. May He (the Alpha and the Omega, the one true God) open your eyes to see the truth and your ears to hear it. Amen.