The Evolution of Joseph Smith's First Vision
Note: Mormonism is a great sham per the "prophet" Gordon B. Hinckley if
Joseph Smith's first vision is not true.
That becomes the hinge pin on which this whole cause turns. If the First
Vision was true, if it actually happened, then the Book of Mormon is true. Then
we have the priesthood. Then we have the Church organization and all of the
other keys and blessings of authority which we say we have. If the First Vision
did not occur, then we are involved in a great sham. It is just that simple.
(New York Rochester Missionary Meeting, July 12, 1996.) Gordon B. Hinckley,
Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, p.227.
The Evolution of Joseph Smith's First Vision
Note: Joseph Smith never acknowledged seeing the Father in his 1832 personal writings.
(1832) and when I considered all these things and that <that> being seeketh such to worship him as wors=hip 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 wilderne=ss and while in <the> attitude of calling upon the Lord <in the 16th year of my age> a piller 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 crucifyed 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 asside 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 acording to th[e]ir ungodliness and to bring to pass that which <hath> been spoken by the mouth of the prophe=ts and Ap[o]stles behold and lo I come quickly as it [is] wr=itten 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 [I] could find none that would believe the hevnly vision nevertheless I pondered these things in my heart about that time my mother and but after many days. Latter-day, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (J. Smith), Diaries and Histories, History 1832.
Note: Joseph Smith said he saw personages and many angels in his 1835 personal writings.
(November 9, 1835) while setting in my house between the hours of ten & 11 this morning a man came in, and introduced him=self to me, calling <himself> by the name of Joshua the Jewish minister, his appearance was some thing singular, having a beard about 3 inches in length which is quite grey, also his hair is long and considerably silvered with age [p.22] I should think he is about 50 or 55 years old, tall and strait slender built of thin visage blue eyes, and fair com=plexion, he wears a sea green frock coat, & pantaloons of the same, black fur hat with narrow brim, and while speaking frequently shuts his eyes with a scowl on his countinance: I made some enquiry after his name but received no definite answer; we soon comm=enced talking upon the subject of religion and af=ter I had made some remarks concerning the bible I commenced giving him a relation of the circum=stances 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 I considered it of the first importance that I should be right, in matters that involve eternal consequ[e]nces; being thus perplexed in mind I retired to the silent grove and bow[e]d 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 libar=ally and upbradeth 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 p[r]ay, my toung seemed to be swolen 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 seem=ed to draw nearer, I sprung up on my feet, and [p.23] and looked around, but saw no person or thing that was calculated to produce the noise of wal=king, I kneeled again my mouth was opened and my toung liberated, and I called on the Lord in mighty prayer, a pillar of fire appeared above my head, it presently rested down upon me head, and filled me with Joy unspeakable, a personage appeard in the midst of this pillar of flame which was spread all around, and yet nothing consumed, another personage soon appeard 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; Latter-day, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (J. Smith), Diaries 1832-1834 1835-1836, Diary 1835-1836.
Note: Joseph Smith said he saw many angels in his 1835 personal writings.
(November 14, 1835) A Gentleman called this after noon by the name of Erastus Holmes of Newbury Clemon [Clermont] Co. Ohio, he called to make enquiry about the establish=ment of the church of the latter=day Saints and to be instructed more perfectly in our doctrine &c I commenced and gave him a brief relation of my experience while in my [p.36] 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 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 he listened verry attentively and seemed highly gratified, and intends to unite with the Church he is a verry candid man indeed and I am much pleased with him. Latter-day, Personal Writings of Joseph Smith (J. Smith), Diaries 1832-1834 1835-1836, Diary 1835-1836.
Note: Orson Pratt
didn't identify the personages that appeared in 1841.
It continued descending slowly until it rested upon the earth and he was
enveloped in the midst of it. 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
enrapt in a heavenly vision, and saw two glorious personages who exactly
resembled each other in their features or likeness. He was informed that his
sins were forgiven. He was also informed upon the subjects which had for some
time previously agitated his mind, 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, and he received a promise that the true doctrine-the fullness
of the gospel-should at some future time be made known to him. After which the
vision withdrew, leaving his mind in a state of calmness and peace
indescribable. Orson Pratt, An Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions
1841, p.5
Note: Joseph Smith didn't identify the personages that appeared in 1842.
I retired to a secret place in a grove and began to call upon the Lord, while fervently engaged in supplication my mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped in a heavenly vision and saw two glorious personages who exactly resembled each other in features, and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon-day. They told me that all religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom. And I was expressly commanded to "go not after them," at the same time receiving a promise that the fulness of the gospel should at some future time be made known unto me. Times and Seasons, Times and Seasons v3, Vol. 3 No. 9 March 1 1842, Church History.
Note: Joseph Smith attempts to make a standard version of his first vision in 1842.
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.
History of Joseph Smith., Times and Seasons, vol. 3 (November 1841-October
1842), Vol. 3 No. 10 March 15, 1842, p.728
"After I had retired into 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 overcome me, and had such
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 a 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 enquire
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, they draw near to me with their lips, but their
hearts are far from me; they teach for doctrine the commandments of men, having
a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof." 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 laying on my
back, looking up into heaven. History of Joseph Smith., Times and Seasons, vol.
3 (November 1841-October 1842), Vol. 3 No. 11 April 1, 1842, p.748 - 749
Note: Orson Hyde forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
Some one may say, "If this work of the last days be true, why did not the Saviour come himself to communicate this intelligence to the world?" Because to the angels was committed the power of reaping the earth, and it was committed to none else. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v6, Discourse By President Orson Hyde, April 1854.
Note: Brigham Young forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
But as it was in the days of our Savior, so was it in the advent of this new dispensation. It was not in accordance with the notions, traditions, and pre-conceived ideas of the American people. The messenger did not come to an eminent divine of any of the so-called orthodoxy, he did not adopt their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven, in power and great glory, nor send His messengers panoplied with aught else than the truth of heaven, to communicate to the meek the lowly, the youth of humble origin, the sincere enquirer after the knowledge of God. But He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith Jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong; that they were following the precepts of men instead of the Lord Jesus; that He had a work for him to perform, inasmuch as he should prove faithful before Him. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v2, Discourse By President Brigham Young (6), February 18, 1855.
Note: Wilford Woodruff forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
How did it come? By the ministering of an holy angel from God, out of heaven, who held converse with man, and revealed unto him the darkness that enveloped the world, and unfolded unto him the gross darkness that surrounded the nations, those scenes that should take place in this generation, and would follow each other in quick succession, even unto the coming of the Messiah. The angel taught Joseph Smith those principles which are necessary for the salvation of the world; and the Lord gave him commandments, and sealed upon him the Priesthood, and gave him power to administer the ordinances of the house of the Lord. He told him the Gospel was not among men, and that there was not a true organization of His kingdom in the world, that the people had turned away from His true order, changed the ordinances, and broken the everlasting covenant, and inherited lies and things wherein their was no profit. He told him the time had come to lay the foundation for the establishment of the Kingdom of God among men for the last time, preparatory to the winding up scene. Joseph was strengthened by the Spirit and power of God, and was enabled to listen to the teachings of the angel. He told him he should be made an instrument in the hands of the Lord, if he kept His commandments, in doing a good work upon the earth, that his name should be held in honor by the honest in heart, and in dishonor throughout the nations by the wicked. He told him he should be an instrument in laying the foundation of a work that should gather tens of thousands of the children of men, in the generation in which he lived, from every nation under heaven, who should hear the sound of it through his instrumentality. He told him the nations were wrapt in wickedness and abomination, and that the judgments of God were ready to be poured out upon them in their fulness; that the angels were holding the vials of His wrath in readiness; but the decree is, that they shall not be poured out until the nations are warned, that they may be left without an excuse. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v2, Sermon By Elder Wilford Woodruff, February 25, 1855.
Note: Heber Kimball forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
Do you suppose that God in person called upon Joseph Smith, our Prophet? God called upon him; but God did not come himself and call, but he sent Peter to do it. Do you not see? He sent Peter and sent Moroni to Joseph, and told him that he had got the plates. Did God come himself? No: he sent Moroni and told him there was a record, and says he, "That record is matter that pertains to the Lamanites, and it tells when their fathers came out of Jerusalem, and how they came, and all about it; and, says he, "If you will do as I tell you, I will confer a gift upon you." Well, he conferred it upon him, because Joseph said he would do as he told him. "I want you to go to work and take the Urim and Thummim, and translate this book, and have it published, that this nation may read it." Do you not see, by Joseph receiving the gift that was conferred upon him, you and I have that record? General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v6, Remarks By President Heber C. Kimball, November 8, 1857.
Note: John Taylor forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
How did this state of things called Mormonism originate? We read that an angel came down and revealed himself to Joseph Smith and manifested unto him in vision the true position of the world in a religious point of view. He was surrounded with light and glory while the heavenly messenger communicated these things unto him, after a series of visitations and communications from the Apostle Peter and others who held the authority of the holy Priesthood, not only on the earth formerly but in the heavens afterwards. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v10, Discourse By Elder John Taylor (3), March 1, 1863.
Note: George Smith forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
Joseph Smith had attended these meetings, and when this result was reached he saw clearly that something was wrong. He had read the Bible and had found that passage in James which says "If any of you lack wisdom let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not," and taking this literally, he went humbly before the Lord and inquired of Him, and the Lord answered his prayer and revealed to Joseph, by the ministration of angels, the true condition of the religious world. When the holy angel appeared, Joseph inquired which of all these denominations was right and which he should join, and was told they were all wrong,-they had all gone astray, transgressed the laws, changed the ordinances and broken the everlasting covenant, and that the Lord was about to restore the priesthood and establish His Church, which would be the only true and living Church on the face of the whole earth. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v12, Discourse By President George A. Smith (2), November 15, 1863.
Note: One year later, George Smith reverted back to the official 1842 Times and Seasons version.
"In the spring of 1820, after I had retired into 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 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 a marvellous 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 air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other-'This is my beloved son, hear him.'" General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v11, Delivered By Elder George A. Smith, November 15, 1864.
Note: George Smith again forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
Of the family of Joseph Smith, his mother, his brothers Hyrum and Samuel, and sister Sophronia, became members of the Presbyterian Church. Joseph reflected much upon the subject of religion, and was astonished at the ill-feeling that seemed to have grown out of the division of the spoils, if we may so use the term, at the close of the reformation. He spent much time in prayer and reflection and in seeking the Lord. He was led to pray upon the subject in consequence of the declaration of the Apostle James: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not." [James, 1st chap., 5th verse.] He sought the Lord by day and by night, and was enlightened by the vision of an holy angel. When this personage appeared to him, one of his first inquiries was, "Which of the denominations of Christians in the vicinity was right?" He was told they had all gone astray, they had wandered into darkness, and that God was about to restore the Gospel in its simplicity and purity to the earth; he was, consequently, directed not to join any one of them, but to be humble and seek the Lord with all his heart, and that from time to time he should be taught and instructed in relation to the right way to serve the Lord. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v13, Historical Discourse By President George A. Smith, June 20, 1869.
Note: Orson Hyde added two personages to an angel for the first vision of Joseph Smith in 1820.
This was the condition of mankind before this Church arose, forty years ago. By and by an obscure individual, a young man, rose up, and, in the midst of all Christendom, proclaimed the startling news that God had sent an angel to him; that through his faith, prayers, and sincere repentance he had beheld a supernatural vision, that he had seen a pillar of fire descend from Heaven, and saw two glorious personages clothed upon with this pillar of fire, whose countenance shone like the sun at noonday; that he heard one of these personages say, pointing to the other, "This is my beloved Son, hear ye him." General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v13, Discourse By Elder Orson Pratt, December 19, 1869.
Note: Brigham Young forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
You read in the revelations given to John on the Isle of Patmos, concerning the latter days, that a voice was heard crying to the Saints in Babylon-"Come out of her, O my people, be not partakers of her sins, lest ye receive of her plagues, for her sins have reached unto heaven," etc. Has this voice been heard? Yes, the Latter-day Saints have heard it. Has the angel flown through the midst of heaven and delivered the Gospel to the children of men? Yes, we believe all this. Do we believe that the Lord sent his messengers to Joseph Smith, and commanded him to refrain from joining any Christian church, and to refrain from the wickedness he saw in the churches, and finally delivered to him a message informing him that the Lord was about to establish his kingdom on the earth, and led him on step by step until he gave him the revelation concerning the plates? Yes, this is all correct. Did Joseph receive these revelations? He did. Did the heavenly messengers come to Joseph, and commit to him the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood? Yes, we believe all this. Did they commit to him the keys of the Melchisedec Priesthood? Yes, This is all correct, we believe all this. Did the Lord speak from the heavens through Joseph, commanding his people to gather out from the wicked before the scourges-sickness, pestilence, wars, bloodshed, and the various calamities spoken of by the Prophets and Apostles, should pass over the nations? Yes, we believe the Lord has called upon the people who received the Gospel to come out of Babylon, to separate themselves from the wicked and to stand in holy places preparatory to the coming of the Son of Man. All Latter-day Saints believe all this; then I say, if we do believe it, let us act up to and be true to our faith and to the knowledge that we have of God and his kingdom. This is what is required of us. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v18, Discourse By President Brigham Young (4), June 23, 1874.
Note: John Taylor forgot that Jesus Christ had supposedly appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820.
I had a visit from some of your folks during the session of the Legislature. How was it, and which was right? None of them was right, just as it was when the Prophet Joseph asked the angel which of the sects was right that he might join it. The answer was that none of them are right. What, none of them? No. We will not stop to argue that question; the angel merely told him to join none of them that none of them were right. Anything wrong here? General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v20, Discourse By President John Taylor (6), March 2, 1879 (morning).
Note: John Taylor changed his story later that day about the 1820 Joseph Smith visitation.
When the Father and the Son and Moroni and others came to Joseph Smith, he had a priesthood conferred upon him which he conferred upon others for the purpose of manifesting the laws of life, the Gospel of the Son of God, by direct authority, that light and truth might be spread forth among all nations. General Authorities, Journal of Discourses v20, Discourse By President John Taylor (10), March 2, 1879 (afternoon).
Note: It took Mormon leaders nearly sixty years to agree upon the first vision of Joseph Smith. Brigham Young never once mentioned the Father and the Son as having appeared to Joseph Smith in his thirty years of preaching as the "prophet" and president of the Church of Latter-day Saints.
Joseph Smith History 1:15-20
(Modern Mormon Version of the First Vision of Joseph Smith)
15 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.
16 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.
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." It seems
as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was
destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the
powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that
arose against me, almost in my infancy?