Speaking historically, and not theologically, that depends on which of the accounts of the First Vision you accept. That age and purpose are not in the first version of the First Vision as written by Joseph Smith, Jr.. That is what appears in the fourth version, chronologically, which was dictated in 1838, six years after the first version was handwritten by Smith in 1832. Not all of the versions, including the version written in Joseph Smith, Jr.'s hand, place him at fourteen. And saying there is more than one version of the First Vision doesn't make me 'anti-Mormon.' On its official website, the LDS Church states:
'On at least four different occasions, Joseph Smith either wrote or dictated to scribes accounts of his sacred experience of 1820. Possibly he penned or dictated other histories of the First Vision; if so, they have not been located. The four surviving recitals of this theophany were prepared or rendered through different scribes, at different times, from a different perspective, for different purposes and to different audiences. It is not surprising, therefore, that each of them emphasizes different aspects of his experience.
That is how the LDS Church reconciles the differences among the different versions of the First Vision. See also the official LDS source here. Other sources simply view them as inconsistent and irreconcilable versions of the First Vision.
In Joseph's Smith's first, handwritten account, he was sixteen. This is not accepted by the LDS Church as the official version.
Among the versions, the purpose for Smith's visit to the woods differs, the number of spiritual parties who visits him differ, whether it was a "visitation of angels," as first written, two personages, or one. The fourth version has been accepted as the official version by the LDS Church. That's where the age of fourteen, and going to pray regarding which church is true, comes from.
This is not a theological comment, but a historical one. Please consult the LDS website and historical sources for discussions regarding the different versions of the First Vision. I respect the rights of FR members to believe as they choose; I do not, however respect the rights of all to practice their religious beliefs (for example, I would draw the line at human sacrifice).
Why ALL of them; of course!!
--MormonDude(Just like the Gospels!)
| Version Number When Published Brief Description |
Age/Year | Evil Power | Pillar of Light or Fire |
Number of Personages |
Father | Son | Question: Join What Sect |
Remarks |
|
Official Version,
Mormon scripture,
Pearl of Great Price
p. 47, 48, 1974 Ed. |
Age 14 1820 |
Yes | Yes Light |
2 | Yes | Yes | Join None | Lucy, Hyrum, Samuel, Sopronia Join Presbyterian Church 1820 |
| Paper by Joseph Smith, Times and Seasons March, April 1842 |
Same as item 1 above | |||||||
|
Letter from Joseph Smith
to John Wentworth, editor Chicago Democrat
1841 account Published March 1,1842 |
None given | No | No | 2 | ? | ? | No question, told all incorrect |
Joseph Smith's First Vision by Milton V. Backman Jr. Bookcraft, Appendix D. Ensign, Jan.1985, p. 16 |
| Both looked the Same They spoke |
||||||||
|
Dictated by Joseph Smith,
in hand of James Mulholland, 1838
|
Same as item 1 above, first known account of the official version. |
Ensign,
Jan. 1985 p. 14
|
||||||
|
Joseph Smith's diary of 1835, Recorded by
Warren Cowdery
Nov. 9, 1835, conversation of Joseph Smith with Joshua
|
Joseph, about 14 | No Tongue seemed swollen; heard someone; at first couldn't pray |
Yes Fire |
One, and then another like unto the first | ? | ? | No question, told sins are forgiven, Jesus Christ is the Son of God |
Joseph Smith's First Vision
by Milton V. Backman Jr. Bookcraft, Appendix B
|
| Second spoke. | ||||||||
| Saw many angels | ||||||||
|
Messenger & Advocate
by Oliver Cowdery supervised by
Joseph Smith
Feb. 1835
p. 77-79;
Also see Dec. 1834 p. 43
|
Joseph 17 1823 |
No | Yes | 1 |
No | No | No question told sin are forgiven | Note on pg. 78 that the revival was in 1823 (NOT 1820) so this must be the First Vision. |
| Messenger from God | ||||||||
|
Dictated by Joseph Smith
to F. G. Williams Summer to Nov. 1832
|
Joseph 14 or 16 | No | Yes | 1 | No | Yes | No question, told "None doeth good", sins forgiven |
Joseph Smith's First Vision
by Milton V. Backman Jr. Bookcraft, Appendix A
|
| Saw Lord (Jesus) he "spoke" | ||||||||
| Written by Joseph Smith, 1832 diary | Joseph 15 | No | Yes | 1 | No | Yes | No question, told sins forgiven all do no good |
Ensign,
Dec. 1984 pgs. 24-26
Jan. 1985 pg. 11
|
| Saw the Lord Jesus Christ (said He was crucified) | ||||||||
|
Early Church leaders
B. Young,
G. A. Smith,
J. Taylor
|
Joseph 15 | No | No | 1 | No | No | Join None | Journal of Discourses, 2:171; 18:239; 13:77,78; 20:167; 12:333,334 |
| Saw an angel, and asked the angel | ||||||||