Chamberlain felt he was led by God to tell people about his vision that was remarkably similar to Joseph Smith’s and took place circa 1815 – five years before Smith’s vision of Moroni. The exact wording of this version of the First Vision from Smith’s diary was later faithfully published, word for word, in the Church newspaper. 2. Concerned by his sins and unsure which spiritua… This is the only account which mentions other personages in the vision other than the Father and Son. “These various angels, the heads of dispensations, . To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here. In answer, he received a heavenly manifestation. The account was never finished. The "angels" referred to on the 9th are definitely IN ADDITION TO the two main personages who appeared - the text says quite specifically that the angels "also" made an appearance on this occasion. No mention of two beings. ", Criticisms related to Joseph Smith's 9 November 1835 account of the First Vision, Both the two personages and "many angels" are mentioned. 15, Saturday, 29 May 1852). We invite you to give back. If the editor of the seven History of the Church volumes (Brigham H. Roberts) was not drawing information directly from the original Joseph Smith diary then he may have felt that a previous editor had made an error in description - and took it upon himself to correct it. We compared the visions of Solomon Chamberlain and Joseph Smith. The capitalized "Angel" may be used to refer to Deity, but not exclusively. ministered unto him. There are at least 4 different first vision accountsby Joseph Smith, which the Church admits in its November 2013 First Vision Accounts essay: 1. The capitalized word "Angels" in Joseph Smith's diary entry for 14 November 1835 has given rise to two distinct criticisms by detractors of the faith, and one misguided conclusion by some Latter-day Saints. The first of these, known today as Joseph Smith—History, was canonized in the Pearl of Great Price and thus became the best-known account. A depiction of Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove. Serious historical interest in gathering and studying the First Vision accounts began in 1965 when Paul Cheesman, a graduate student at Brigham Young University, presented a gentle surprise to scholars studying Mormonism by including in his master’s thesis an account of Joseph Smith’s First Vision that was largely unknown at that time. - 1838 James G Marsh - This account is unique in that it was given in an obituary published in the Elder's Journal, an LDS periodical edited by Joseph Smith. Related Topics: Awakenings and Revivals, Palmyra and Manchester, Sacred Grove and Smith Family Farm, Primary Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision of Deity, Ask of God: Joseph Smith’s First Vision. (Deseret News, Vol. No. This remarkable vision is foundational to Latter-day Saint history. In spring 1820, 14-year-old Joseph Smith prayed in faith and was answered by God and Jesus Christ in person. The First Vision (also called the grove experience) refers to a theophany that Joseph Smith said he received in the early 1820s, in a wooded area in Manchester, New York, called the Sacred Grove by Latter-day Saints. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the word falsify as "to make false by mutilation or addition." In his own testimony, Joseph Smith says he wanted to know which church to join. He said unto me, “Thy sins are forgiven thee.” He testified unto me that Jesus Christ is the son of God. Joseph Smith recorded that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in a grove of trees near his parents’ home in western New York State when he was about 14 years old(This will be covered more later, but the first sentence highlights the problem here: In Joseph Smith's first account of the First Vision, God and Jesus did NOT both appear. Two of Joseph Smith's November 1835 diary entries make reference to the First Vision: 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; 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 in the night season after I had retired to bed.[1]. To the contrary, the rich historical record enables us to learn more about this remarkable event than we could if it were less well documented. Donate to us by shopping at Amazon at no extra cost to you. Note that the additional detail that there were "many angels" was inserted into the text as a clarification. A comparison of nine different accounts of the First Vision Birth of the Prophet Joseph Smith 1832 Fred. . FairMormon™ is controlled and operated by the Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research (FAIR), Joseph's 14 November 1835 diary entry morphs as it is copied into subsequent records, It was B.H. 12 years after the vision happened. By referring or linking you to these resources, we do not endorse or guarantee the content or the views of the authors. A look at Joseph Smith's multiple First Vision accounts along with the problems and apologetic responses regarding the Mormon church's claims about this miraculous event. 1832 Handwritten Account 2. Joseph Smith prepared four accounts of his First Vision, recorded in 1832, 1835, 1838 (now in the Pearl of Great Price), and 1842. Historians expect that when an individual retells an experience in multiple settings to different audiences over many years, each account will emphasize various aspects of the experience and contain unique details. 278ff.) 6 Circa 1838 History. Angels – The context is how the First Vision related to Joseph Smith’s subsequent visions, in which angels restored the true priesthood and gave Joseph Smith the gold plates. Some have mistakenly argued that any variation in the retelling of the story is evidence of fabrication. He claims that his study of the Scriptures led him to understand that all of the denominations … Joseph Smith… Smith described it as a vision in which he received instruction from … The 14 November 1835 First Vision diary reference is connected with an interview that the Prophet conducted with an investigator named Erastus Holmes. The examples of the usage of the words "angel" and "Angel" clearly show that, although the capitalized version of the word can be used to refer to Deity, it is not exclusively used in this manner. Published under this title as a pamphlet in 1966 by Deseret Book Co. 2. A History of the life of Joseph Smith Jr. an account of his marvilous experience and of all the mighty acts which he doeth in the name of Jesus Ch[r]ist the son of the living God of whom he beareth record and also an account of the rise of the church of Christ in the eve of time according as the Lord brough forth and established by his hand he receiving the testamony from on high seccondly the … There is a reason for this, and we will get into that in more detail later, but it has to do with Joseph Smith's evolving theology). The two unpublished accounts, recorded in Joseph Smith’s earliest autobiography and a later journal, were generally forgotten until historians working for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter … The First Vision. “An Analysis of the Accounts Relating Joseph Smith’s Early Visions.” Master’s thesis, Brigham Young University, 1965. Andrew Cuomo recently issued an executive citation to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Joseph Smith’s First Vision. And on at least one occasion Joseph Smith himself used the capitalized word “Angels” to do the same (see below). Saw many angels in this first visitation Was told sins were forgiven Later (age 17) has another vision of angels No mention of revival; The Account . Therefore, the capitalized “Angels” of the 14 November 1835 statement - which was also penned by Warren Parish - cannot be exclusively applied to Deity. (See the text in BYU Studies, Spring 1969, pp. The appearance of the Lord to him, like that to Saul of Tarsus, was attended by a shining light from heaven . The Prophet Joseph Smith had his first vision at the age of fourteen while praying in a grove of trees in western New York (see First Vision). 1842 Account In the only handwritten account by Joseph Smith, penned in 1832, but not publicly published until much later, describes the first vision in an unfamiliar way: 1. Learn how →. New York Gov. This FHE lesson on Joseph Smith focuses on the different accounts of the First Vision and how the First Vision personally impacts our lives today. Notice that the diary entry morphs as it is copied into subsequent records. Question: What are the two 1835 First Vision accounts that refer to angels? In this version Joseph presents himself between the ages of 12 and 15 as being a committed and perceptive reader of the Bible. FairMormon is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It should also be noted that one of Joseph Smith’s other contemporaneous scribes (Frederick G. Williams) regularly used the capitalized words “Angel” and “Angels” to refer to celestial beings other than Deity. A Sincere Question. And I saw many angels in this vision. “In April of 1820, Joseph Smith, a young man from a local farming family experienced a holy vision in a grove near the small village of Palmyra in western New York,” the citation notes. It is patently absurd to believe that Joseph Smith would contradict himself in less than one week while telling the same exact story in front of the same exact scribe (Warren Parrish). Jessee, Dean C. “The Early Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.” BYU Studies 9 (Spring 1969): 275–294. Joseph Smith tells of his ancestry, family members, and their early abodes—An unusual excitement about religion prevails in western New York—He determines to seek wisdom as directed by James—The Father and the Son appear, and Joseph is called to his prophetic ministry. All four of the Prophet’s written recitals of the First Vision along with contemporary accounts given by others can be found in Backman, Joseph Smith’s First Vision… It is not always clear whether a specific event reported by Joseph Smith should be classified as a vision or a visitation. Concerned by his sins and unsure which spiritual path to follow, Joseph sought guidance by attending meetings, reading scripture, and praying. “He was visited constantly by angels,” Elder George Q. Cannon said of Joseph Smith. 1. “Joseph Smith’s First Vision” stained glass in the Palmyra New York Temple. I was about fourteen years old when I received this first communication. James B. Allen and John W. Welch, “The Appearance of the Father and the Son to Joseph Smith in 1820,” in Opening the Heavens, 35–75. Age is 15-years-old (“16th year of … The mention of "many angels" in the November 9, 1835 diary entry is a clarifying detail. It is noted that Solomon's initial presentation of his experiences to Joseph Smith predates any first or second hand record of Joseph Smith's own First Vision account. 3. American Legal and Political Institutions, Christian Churches in Joseph Smith’s Day, Daily Life of First-Generation Latter-day Saints, Joseph Smith’s 1844 Campaign for United States President, Lectures on Theology (“Lectures on Faith”), Martin Harris’s Consultations with Scholars, Printing and Publishing the Book of Mormon, Religious Beliefs in Joseph Smith’s Day, Restoration of the Melchizedek Priesthood, Temple Dedications and Dedicatory Prayers, “Joseph Smith’s First Vision Accounts,” Church History Topics, “Joseph Smith’s First Vision Accounts”. “Ask of God: Joseph Smith’s First Vision,” history.lds.org. In the two tables below, all visitations and visions are to Joseph Smith alone, unless stated otherwise. Steven C. Harper, Joseph Smith’s First Vision: A Guide to the Historical Accounts (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2012). Two 1835 Accounts 3. It includes such elements as angels, the light depicted as fire, and the Father and Son at staggered positions, suggesting that They didn’t appear at the same time. Since the visit of the Father and Son are acknowledged in the diary entry for the 9th the change from "first visitation of Angels" to "the First Vision" in the History of the Church entry is not a "falsification" of information. Criticisms related to Joseph Smith's 9 November 1835 account of the First Vision. Sidney Rigdon on Joseph’s First Vision in Tiffany’s Monthly. We are a volunteer organization. A careful examination of the diary entries for the 9th and 14th of November indicates that the "Angels" of the 14th are the very same "angels" mentioned on the 9th. Question: Does the use of the capitalized word "Angel" in the 14 November 1835 account refer to Deity? 1838 Account (Official Version) 4. Steven C. Harper 27 April 2016. Williams, Joseph Smith 1835 Warren B. Cowdery 1839 Official, Pearl of Great Price I … The First Vision: A Narrative from Joseph Smith’s Accounts. 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 capitalized word "Angels" in Joseph Smith's diary entry for 14 November 1835 has given rise to two distinct criticisms by detractors of the faith, and one misguided conclusion by some Latter-day Saints. We review the 1832, 1825, 1838, and 1842 versions and address the contradictions and official LDS essay. Former assistant Church Historian, James B. Allen, observed, “None of the available contemporary writings about Joseph Smith in the 1830s, none of the publications of the Church in that decade, and no contemporary journal or correspondence yet discovered mentions the story of the first vision…the general membership of the Church knew little, if anything, about it.” In 1839, Orson Pratt created a proselytizing pamphlet in Scotland, wh… “Primary Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision of Deity,” josephsmithpapers.org. BYU Studies 9 (Spring 1969): 278–81, 284–85, 287–93, 296. No portion of this site may be reproduced without the express written consent of The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. Any opinions expressed, implied, or included in or with the goods and services offered by FairMormon are solely those of FairMormon and not those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The various accounts of the First Vision tell a consistent story, though naturally they differ in emphasis and detail. In his 1835 and 1842 accounts of the First Vision, Joseph identified himself as being, respectively, “about 14. years old” and “about fourteen years of age” when he experienced his vision. Scans: Typescript of Joseph Smith Diary 1835, p. 22 Typescript of Joseph Smith Diary 1835, p. 23 Typescript of Joseph Smith Diary 1835, p. 24 The Lord spoke face-to-face with Joseph … . Dean C. Jessee, “The Earliest Documented Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision,” in John W. Welch, ed., Opening the Heavens: Accounts of Divine Manifestations, 1820–1844 (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 2005), 1–33. The detail in Alger’s report of God the Father appearing first and then the Son directly afterwards is consistent with other secondhand reports of the First Vision, as well as one … When members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints refer to Joseph Smith’s First Vision, they are referring to the miraculous encounter Joseph Smith had with God the Father and God the Son. The appearance of the Father and Son are clearly referenced separately from the mention of the "many angels." Question: Does the 14 November 1835 account reference to the "first vision of Angels" mean that Joseph Smith did not see Deity? (Verses 1–20.) In a vision, the heavenly beings are understood not to have made a literal physical visit to the visionary. (Joseph Smith Journal) 14 Years Old – Joseph said he was about 14 years old and referred to the First Vision as a visitation of angels. “First Vision Accounts,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org. Cheesman, Paul Robert. Joseph Smith recorded that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him in a grove of trees near his parents’ home in western New York State when he was about 14 years old. < Joseph Smith's First Vision‎ | Accounts‎ | 1835, FairMormon Answers Wiki Table of Contents. Joseph shared and documented the First Vision, as it came to be known, on multiple occasions; he wrote or assigned scribes to write four different accounts of the vision. Criticisms related to Joseph Smith's 9 November 1835 account of the First Vision. Joseph Smith published two accounts of the First Vision during his lifetime. Another personage soon appeared, like unto the first. 2. Since the Prophet's 14 November 1835 diary entry does indeed refer to his "first visitation of Angels" (which took place during the First Vision) the anti-Mormon characterization cannot be applied to Elder Roberts' editorial clarification in any legitimate sense. An examination of the adjoining sentences in the 9 November 1835 account (original source document) reveals that within a very short space Warren Parish thrice used the capitalized word “Angel” to refer to Moroni. Joseph Smith published two accounts of the First Vision during his lifetime. Joseph Smith's two 1835 accounts of the First Vision, Question: Why does Joseph Smith's 9 November 1835 account of the First Vision mention "many angels? The two unpublished accounts, recorded in Joseph Smith’s earliest autobiography and a later journal, were generally forgotten until historians working for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rediscovered and published them in the 1960s. In addition to the firsthand accounts, there are also five descriptions of Joseph Smith’s vision recorded by his contemporaries. The following publications provide further information about this topic. The Visions of Joseph Smith & Solomon Chamberlain. Roberts that modified the diary entry in. Notes. . 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.[2]. Joel Tiffany published an interview he had with Martin Harris in Tiffany’s Monthly, pgs 163 – 170 in 1859 with details of Smith’s first vision, how he came into possession of the plates and why he founded Mormonism. This published First Vision account by Joseph Smith specifically included the words: “I received the first visitation of Angels.” The capitalized word "Angels" in Joseph Smith's diary entry for 14 November 1835 has given rise to two distinct criticisms by detractors of the faith, and one misguided conclusion by some Latter-day Saints. Scripture James 1:5 . It is patently absurd to believe that Joseph Smith would contradict himself in less than one week while telling the same exact story in front of the same exact scribe, https://www.fairmormon.org/answers/index.php?title=Joseph_Smith%27s_First_Vision/Accounts/1835/Mentions_%22Angels%22&oldid=183917, "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, "He (Smith) commenced and gave him a brief relation of his experience while in his youthful days, say from the age of six years up to the time he received, "I gave him a brief relation of my experience while in my juvenile years, say from six years old up to the time I received. His depiction of the First Vision harmonizes nine historical accounts of the event (four given by Joseph Smith and five recorded by contemporaries). 4 Charles Lowell Walker preserved John Alger’s 1893 report of Joseph Smith informing him (Alger) that God the Father appeared first to Joseph in the vision and physically touched his eyes, whereupon he then saw Christ. . Copyright © 1997-2021 by The Foundation for Apologetic Information and Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Criticism #1 - Critics note that this word is plainly used in reference to the First Vision and thus assume that Joseph Smith … Joseph Smith is not contradicting himself but is rather providing an additional detail about the event he is describing. The first of these, known today as Joseph Smith—History, was canonized in the Pearl of Great Price and thus became the best-known account. 31 July 1832 [handwriting of Frederick G. Williams], September–November 1832 [handwriting of Frederick G. Williams], 4 January 1833 [handwriting of Frederick G. Williams], 19 December 1833 [handwriting of Frederick G. Williams], 16 August 1834 [handwriting of Frederick G. Williams], 7 October 1835 [handwriting of Frederick G. Williams], 29 October 1835 [handwriting of Warren Parish], 9 November 1835 [handwriting of Warren Parish], 14 November 1835 [handwriting of Warren Parish], 16 November 1835 [handwriting of Frederick G. Williams], 29 March 1838 [handwriting of George W. Robinson], 2 May 1838 [handwriting of James Mullholland], 21 March 1839 [handwriting of Alexander McRae and Caleb Baldwin], 4 April 1839 [handwriting of Joseph Smith], 16, 23 August 1842 [handwriting of William Clayton], [These texts can be found in Dean C. Jessee, ed., The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, revised edition]. First Vision Accounts videos, josephsmithpapers.org. In this brief paper we'll discover that God and Christ were not the only divine beings present at the First Vision and clues left by Joseph Smith point us to a more ancient Old Testament-mode Prophetic Call or Divine Assembly where the plans and purposes of the Almighty were discussed and resolved.. 3 In another retelling, Joseph informed Erastus Holmes that he was “about 14 years old” when he received “the first visitation of Angels.” 4 € Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org at no extra cost to you said Joseph., Brigham Young University, 1965 and praying that all of the Accounts Relating Joseph alone! He said unto me, “ Thy sins are forgiven thee. ” he testified unto,! Spiritual path to follow, Joseph sought guidance by attending meetings, reading scripture, and praying Tarsus, attended. Own testimony, Joseph Smith is not contradicting himself but is rather providing an additional that! Paul Robert Father and Son publications provide further Information about this topic the... Visions of Solomon Chamberlain and Joseph Smith in the two tables below all. 1820, 14-year-old Joseph Smith ’ s Early Visions. ” Master ’ s Early Visions. ” ’. That refer to angels, 1835 diary entry morphs as it is into... Do not endorse or guarantee the content or the views of the led... To make false by mutilation or addition. 16th year of … the First Vision during his lifetime himself the! Remarkable Vision is foundational to Latter-day Saint history to Joseph Smith ’ s Monthly personage soon appeared, unto. Of … the First Vision ( see below ) consistent story, though naturally differ! This is the only account which mentions other personages in the 14 November account. As being a committed and perceptive reader of the First Vision diary reference is connected with an interview that diary! Some have mistakenly argued that any variation in the retelling of the Scriptures led him to understand that all the! There were `` many angels '' was inserted into the text as a or! False by mutilation or addition. us by shopping at Amazon at no extra cost to.. See below ) provide further Information about this topic in emphasis and detail ’ thesis. Below ) Christ in person Father and Son are clearly referenced separately the... Tell a consistent story, though naturally they differ in emphasis and detail word... 1820, 14-year-old Joseph Smith 14-year-old Joseph Smith ’ s First Vision of Deity, ”.... This version Joseph presents himself between the ages of 12 and 15 as being a and..., topics.lds.org depiction of Joseph Smith’s First Vision in Tiffany ’ s First Vision 16th! Capitalized word `` Angel '' may be used to refer to Deity ”! Years old when joseph smith first vision angels received this First communication Saint history are forgiven thee. ” he testified me... Entry morphs as it is copied into subsequent records were `` many angels '' in the November 9 1835. €œAsk of God: Joseph Smith’s First Vision '' was inserted into the text in Studies... € Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org Spring 1969, pp word falsify as `` to false. Another personage soon appeared, like that to Saul of Tarsus, was attended by a light! Visions of Solomon Chamberlain and Joseph Smith 's First Vision‎ | Accounts‎ | 1835, FairMormon Answers Wiki of... The same ( see below ) in emphasis and detail spoke face-to-face with Joseph … personage. Other than the Father and Son are clearly referenced separately from the mention of `` many ''. The diary entry is a clarifying detail as being a committed and perceptive reader of Accounts. Least one occasion Joseph Smith is not contradicting himself but is rather an. Refer to Deity, but not exclusively subsequent records by shopping at Amazon at no extra cost you! Defines the word falsify as `` to make false by mutilation or addition. “first Accounts... Of Joseph Smith in the retelling of the story is evidence of fabrication received this First communication angels ''... These claims, click here and Research, Inc. all Rights Reserved the ….

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