| Two accounts of the
First Vision are recorded in Joseph's 1835 diary, the first to "Joshua
the Jewish Minister" on November 9 §, the second
to Erastus Holmes on November 14 §. Both accounts
are in the hand of Warren Parrish, who began writing for Joseph on October
29, 1835. |
| In the first 1835 account,
Joseph, about 14, is "wrought up" about religion and goes to a
grove to pray. At first unable to pray, he hears footsteps drawing closer
from behind, jumps up and looks around, then kneels and prays earnestly.
Pillar of fire descends, sees one personage, then second. The second personage
tells Joseph that his sins are forgiven and testifies that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God. |
| The second 1835 account
is much shorter. Joseph's "first visitation of angels" occurrs
when he is "about 14 years old," after which he receives revelations
about the Book of Mormon. |
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Introduction |
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| "Joshua
the Jewish Minister" |
|
Dean Jessee reports
that Joshua the Jewish Minister was Robert Matthews, alias Robert Matthias,
a joiner and merchant, from Cambridge, New York "claimed to be God the Father reincarnated in the body of Matthias
the ancient apostle." He taught that no man who shaved could be a Christian. predicted the destruction of Albany in 1830,
then left his wife and five children to go on a preaching tour through the
East and South. He was committed to the insane asylum at Bellevue "for
a time," and in April 1835 was tried for the murder of a Mr. Perison,
who died after eating blackberries prepared by Matthews. He was acquitted
on that charge but served three months in jail for beating his daughter with a whip. In 1839 he
was shaved by a Little Rock, Arkansas mob and ordered to leave town or get a closer shave by "Dr.
Lynch." |
|
PWJS,
682. |
| Joshua |
|
Between ten and eleven
a.m. on November 9, a man comes to Joseph's house and introduces himself
as Joshua the Jewish minister. His appearance is "some thing singular"—he
is about 50 or 55, tall and slender, with blue eyes, fair complexion, long
silver hair, and a gray beard about three inches long. 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 countenance." |
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Joseph asks for his
name but gets no definite answer. They begin talking about religion. Joseph
makes some comments about the Bible, then: |
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November
9 account |
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| Book
of Mormon begins with first vision |
|
I commenced giving him
a relation of the circumstances connected with the coming forth of the book
of Mormon, as follows— |
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Diary-2,
22–24 // PWJS, 104–105;
1:43–45. |
Which
church is right
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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 consequnces; being thus perplexed
in mind I retired to the silent grove and bowd down before the Lord, |
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Finding
out which church is right is Joseph's motivation in this account. In ¶
Joseph Smith's 1832 History, obtaining forgiveness is the motivation. |
| Ask,
knock, seek |
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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 libarally and upbradeth
not; |
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Matthew
7:7, James 1:5 |
| Desires
information |
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information
was what I most desired at this time, and with a fixed determination to
obtain it, < |
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First
prayer in grove
Cannot speak |
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I
called upon the Lord for the first time, in the place above stated or in
other words I made a fruitless attempt to pay, my toung seemed to be swolen
in my mouth, so that I could not utter, |
|
Satan
Came Also |
| Noise
from behind |
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I heard a noise behind
me like some person walking towards me, |
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| Tries
again |
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I strove again to pray,
but could not, |
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| Walking
closer |
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the noise of walking
seemed to draw nearer, |
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| Jumps
up |
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I sprung up on my feet,
and and looked around, but saw no person or thing that was calculated
to produce the noise of walking, |
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| Kneels
and prays |
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I kneeled again my mouth
was opened and my toung liberated, and I called on the Lord in mighty prayer, |
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| Pillar
of fire, unspeakable joy |
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a pillar of fire appeared
above my head, it presently rested down upon me head, and filled me with
Joy unspeakable, |
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| Personage
in pillar |
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a personage
appeard in the midst of this pillar of flame which was spread all around,
and yet nothing consumed, |
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| Second
personage |
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another personage soon
appeard like unto the first, he said unto me |
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Only
"the Lord" appears in ¶
Joseph Smith's 1832 History.
Which church is true is not addressed, |
| Forgives
sins |
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thy sins are forgiven
thee, |
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| Jesus
is Son of God |
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he testifyed unto me
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; |
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| Many
angels |
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<and I saw many
angels in this vision> |
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Angels are not mentioned by Joseph in 1832 or by Orson Pratt in 1840. |
| About
14 |
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I
was about 14 years old when I received this first communication; |
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November
14 account |
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In the afternoon, a
man named Erastus Holmes of Newberry, Clermont county, Ohio, calls on Joseph
to ask about the church. |
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Diary-2,
36–37. Also PWJS, 112–113.
An edited account of this text was published in the Deseret News, May
29, 1852.
This text from PWJS, 112–113. |
| Visitation
of angels, age 14 |
|
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. years old and also the the revelations
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. |
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Joseph Smith's
First Vision
Visions
Miracles
Beliefs & Practices
Joseph Smith
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