Joseph Smith’s First Vision Account
Mormonism stands or falls on the first vision account of
Joseph Smith. The first vision is the foundation and
cornerstone on which the Mormon Church was built.
Gordon B. Hinckley (1910-2008), the fifteenth president
of the LDS church stated, “Our whole strength rests on
the validity of that vision. It either occurred or it did not
occur. If it did not then this work is a fraud. If it did then
it is the most important and wonderful work under the
heavens.”
The late Mormon apostle Bruce R. McConkie (19151985) wrote, “This transcendent vision was the
beginning of latter-day revelation…Through it the creeds
of Christendom were shattered to smithereens, and
because of it the truth about those Beings whom it is life
eternal to know began again to be taught among men.”
Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972), the tenth president
of the LDS church wrote that Mormonism “must stand or
fall on the story of Joseph Smith, He was either a
prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and
commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this
world has ever seen. There is no middle ground.”
So why are there nine differing accounts of Joseph
Smith’s first vision? Which one should we believe?
The official position was that in 1820, when Joseph Smith was 14 years, he went into the woods
to pray over James 1:5 and about which church to join. Joseph then claims he was overcome by
“some power” of “astonishing influence” and visited by God the Father and Jesus Christ and was
told, “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.”
Date Recorded
1827 — Account of Joseph Smith, Sr.,
and Joseph Smith, Jr., given to Willard
Chase, as related in his 1833 affidavit.
1827 — Account by Martin Harris given
to Rev. John Clark, as published in his
book Gleanings by the Way, printed in
1842, pp. 222-229.
1830 — Interview of Joseph Smith by
Peter Bauder, recounted by Bauder in his
book The Kingdom and the Gospel of
Jesus Christ, printed in 1834, pp. 36-38.
1832 — Earliest known attempt at an
‘official’ recounting of the ‘First Vision,
from History, 1832, Joseph Smith
Account Recorded
A spirit appears to Joseph telling him of a record on gold
plates at age 17 (1823).
An angel appears to Joseph telling him he has been chosen to
be a prophet and bring forth a record on gold plates at age
18-19 (1824-25).
Joseph could give “no christian experience” but says an angel
tells him where to find a secret treasure. Joseph returns once
a year for several years before obtaining the plates.
Jesus Christ appears to Joseph at age 15.
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Letterbook 1, pp.2,3, in the handwriting
of Joseph Smith.
1834-35 — Oliver Cowdery, with Joseph
Smith’s help, published the first history
of Mormonism in the LDS periodical
Messenger and Advocate, Kirtland, Ohio,
Dec. 1834, vol.1, no.3
1835 — Account given by Joseph Smith
to Joshua the Jewish minister, Joseph
Smith Diary, Nov. 9, 1835.
1835 — Account given by Joseph Smith
to Erastus Holmes on November 14,
1835, originally published in the Deseret
News of Saturday May 29, 1852.
1838 — This account became the official
version, now part of Mormon Scripture in
the Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith —
History, 1:7-20. Though written in 1838,
it was not published until 1842 in Times
and Season, March 15, 1842, vol. 3, no.
10, pp. 727-728, 748-749, 753.
1844 — Account in An Original History of
the Religious Denominations at Present
Existing in the United States, edited by
Daniel Rupp. Joseph Smith wrote the
chapter on Mormonism.
An angel appears to Joseph in his bedroom at age 17
(1823).
Two personages and “and I saw many angels in this
vision” appear to Joseph in a grove at age 14 (1820). One
of the personages testifies about Jesus but neither one is
identified as Jesus.
Joseph had visions of angels at aged 14 (1820).
Joseph was 14 (1820) and in a grove when he had a vision
of two personages, One identifies the other as his son (by
implication God the Father and Jesus, but not explicitly
stated).
Joseph was 14 (1820) and in a grove when he had a vision
of two personages that are unidentified.
“Joseph Smith's Changing First Vision Accounts” – Rob Bowman at IRR.org (http://www.irr.org/mit/first-vision/fvisionaccounts.html)
Conclusion of First Vision Account
Was Joseph 14, 15, 16 or 17 years old? Was Joseph visited by a glorious angel, many angels,
Jesus alone, Jesus and God the Father? Was the vision in 1820, 1822 or 1823? Why do the
messages differ in what was supposedly told Joseph?
So, what are we to believe? Joseph Smith changed simple and easily remembered key elements
over the years of his supposed “first vision account”. His story is not consistent with something
of this magnitude.
Galatians 1:8 says, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you
than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”
This should trouble Mormons greatly as well as be a cause of great concern.
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