Joseph Smith’s original purpose in writing the story was apparently to help demonstrate his reasons for not joining any church. In short, the writing of Mormon history has only begun. To summarize what has been said so far, it is apparent that the story of Joseph Smith’s First Vision was not given general circulation in the 1830s. From a separate section in the back of Book A-1, 120–21. In 1834, E. D. Howe published Mormonism Unvailed [sic], which contained considerable damaging material against Joseph Smith, including letters of the Mormon apostate Ezra Booth, but again no mention of the First Vision. This article explains that Joseph claimed to be restoring the true, original meaning of the Bible, and looks at examples of Joseph's changes to the Gospel of … The account published by Orson Pratt in 1840 greatly amplifies upon the story as told by Joseph Smith. Describing the light, for example, Pratt wrote, 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. William, however, did not record the story of the First Vision. In 1961 the official missionary plan of the Church required all missionaries to use the story in their first lesson as part of the dialogue designed to prove that the Father and the Son are distinct personages and that they have tangible bodies. It seems apparent that after Joseph Smith decided to write the story in 1838, the way was clear for its use as a missionary tool. As in the case of other institutions and movements, there is still room in Mormonism for fresh historical scholarship—not necessarily for the apologist, although he will always be necessary and will always make an important contribution, and certainly not for the debunker. Belief in the vision is one of the fundamentals to which faithful members give assent. It seems apparent, however, that, as in the case of Cheesman’s document, few, if any, people had been aware of it. In short, it is almost certain that the document in the back of the book comprises the original notes from which the “Manuscript History” was later compiled and that it is actually a daily account of Joseph Smith’s activities in 1835, as recorded by a scribe. Portrait of Joseph Smith, September 1842. Credit: Courtesy Community of Christ Library-Archives, Licensed to Joseph Smith Papers Project. In this newspaper, Oliver Cowdery, who was second only to Joseph Smith in the early organization of the Church, published a series of letters dealing with the origin of the Church. 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 enwrapped in a heavenly vision and saw two glorious personages. [14] Quoted in LeRoi C. Snow, “How Lorenzo Snow Found God,” Improvement Era, February 1937, 83. [1] The earliest anti-Mormon literature attacked the Book of Mormon and the character of Joseph Smith but never mentioned the First Vision. [20] For a copy of the Pratt story, see Cheesman, “An Analysis of the Accounts,” appendix C. [21] Orson Pratt, An Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions, and of the Late Discovery of Ancient American Records (Edinburgh: Ballantyne and Hughes, 1840), 5. In connection with the story of the vision, then, it is important to ask certain questions: When was it first told? When Joseph Smith finally wrote, or dictated, the “Manuscript History” in 1838, he told of his great uneasiness in the midst of the religious confusion of 1820 and his quest to determine which of the churches was right. When reading the statement in context, however, it will be immediately noted that Snow did not say that he heard Joseph tell the actual story—only that he heard him testify that he had conversed with the Son and heard the voice of the Father. [9] It might be noted that Fawn Brodie suggests that the story of Joseph Smith’s First Vision was something which he invented sometime after 1834. This volume was accepted as one of the standard works of the Mormon Church in 1880. It is not known, of course, how generally the membership of the Church knew of the story by the end of the decade, but in the year 1840, Orson Pratt published in England a missionary tract entitled Interesting Account of Several Remarkable Visions and of the Late Discovery of Ancient American Records. This essay was originally published in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought 1, no. The significance of Doniphan’s intervention in behalf of the Mormon leaders cannot be overstated. As far as Mormon literature is concerned, there was apparently no reference to Joseph Smith’s First Vision in any published material in the 1830s. Joseph himself wrote at least two different accounts for publication. . The account written about 1833 told of his youthful anxiety over the “welfare of my immortal soul” and over his sins as well as the sins of the world. (Harold T. Kilbourn, Joseph Smith Seeks Wisdom from the Bible, © 1975 Intellectual Reserve, Inc.), In the year 1838, Joseph Smith began writing his formal History of the Church. [4] See N. B. Lundwall, comp., A Compilation Containing the Lectures on Faith (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, n.d.). The two persons looked alike, and the second assured him that his sins had been forgiven. . A personage appeared in the midst of this pillar of flame, which was spread all around and yet nothing consumed. Because it was a sacred and privileged communication; it was never published to the world and never should be. [23] As quoted in Cheesman, “An Analysis of the Accounts,” 29. Grant Building In the back of the book, however, is a most curious and revealing document. On April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith, a 24 year old farmer in western New York, gathered a few friends together to form the "only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth." Joseph Smith’s First Vision 4 stands today as the greatest event in world history since the birth, ministry, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. When was it first published? Before 1880, Orson Pratt relentlessly shared and re-shared the vision in various publications. A more difficult question to answer concerns the various utilitarian functions of the story. After centuries of darkness, the Lord opened the heavens to reveal His word and restore His Church through His chosen prophet. What new ideas have become part of the Mormon tradition since the exodus from Nauvoo, or even in the twentieth century; what old ideas have been submerged, if not forgotten; and what ideas have remained constant through the years? Not only is belief in the First Vision of primary importance to Mormonism, but the story of the vision has what might be termed a number of secondary, although highly important, utilitarian functions. A pillar of fire appeared above my head; which presently rested down upon me, and filled me with unspeakable joy. First, it was apparently written in 1835 by someone other than Joseph Smith, for it records the day-to-day events in the Prophet’s life in the third person, as if it were a scribe recording them as he observed them. In our time, however, it is used by Church leaders and teachers to demonstrate for believers many other aspects of the Mormon faith: the idea that God actually hears and answers prayers; the concept that there is a personal devil who tries to stop the progress of truth; and, perhaps most fundamental of all, the Mormon doctrine that the divine Godhead are actually separate, distinct, physical personages, as opposed to the Trinitarian concept within traditional Christianity. Neither of these statements is contained in the Pearl of Great Price account, but the first one is included in both the 1833 and 1835 manuscripts. Through it all, however, there seems to be no deviation from Joseph Smith’s apparent intent in telling the story in the first place: to demonstrate that he had had a visitation from Deity and that he was told that the religions of his day were wrong. [17]. After Joseph’s death, however, members of the Church gradually began to appreciate its usefulness for other purposes. . Such important early converts as Parley P. Pratt, Sidney Rigdon, Brigham Young, and Heber C. Kimball all joined because of their conversion through the Book of Mormon, and none of their early records or writings seem to indicate that an understanding or knowledge of the First Vision was in any way a part of their conversion. In private conversation, Mr. Cheesman indicated that the original document was actually not clear—the number could have been either sixteen or fourteen, but sixteen appeared to be more likely. Introductory material to the Book of Mormon, as well as publicity about it, told of Joseph Smith’s obtaining the gold plates and of angelic visitations, but nothing was printed that remotely suggested earlier visitations. Joseph Smith tells us in his history that the reason that he was propelled to study the New Testament and to wonder about which church to join was because of “an unusual excitement on the subject of religion.” He dates this in the year 1820. [11] The document was brought to the attention of this writer in June 1966, and he had the opportunity to examine it. The account published in the Pearl of Great Price in 1851 has become the standard account and is accepted by the Mormons as scripture. . The story was accepted as scripture by the Mormons in 1880. I kneeled again, my mouth was opened and my tongue loosed; I called on the Lord in mighty prayer. In 1835, Joseph Smith’s scribe heard him tell the story to a visitor. In 1851 it appeared in the first edition of the Pearl of Great Price, published in England by Franklin D. Richards. Smith established the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When did Church members begin to make such use of the story? 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