Multiple accounts of the First Vision

Revision as of 20:15, 29 January 2014 by RogerNicholson (talk | contribs) (: m)

  1. REDIRECT Template:Headers and footers:Main Page

Contents

Joseph Smith's different accounts of the First Vision


I am not worried that the Prophet Joseph Smith gave a number of versions of the first vision anymore than I am worried that there are four different writers of the gospels in the New Testament, each with his own perceptions, each telling the events to meet his own purpose for writing at the time. I am more concerned with the fact that God has revealed in this dispensation a great and marvelous and beautiful plan that motivates men and women to love their Creator and their Redeemer, to appreciate and serve one another, to walk in faith on the road that leads to immortality and eternal life.

—Gordon B. Hinckley, “God Hath Not Given Us the Spirit of Fear,” Ensign, Oct 1984, 2 off-site

Questions


Joseph Smith gave several accounts of the First Vision. Some charge that differences in the accounts show that he changed and embellished his story over time, and that he therefore had no such vision.

To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here

Gospel Topics, located on lds.org., "First Vision Accounts"

Gospel Topics, located on lds.org.
The various accounts of the First Vision tell a consistent story, though naturally they differ in emphasis and detail. 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. Indeed, differences similar to those in the First Vision accounts exist in the multiple scriptural accounts of Paul’s vision on the road to Damascus and the Apostles’ experience on the Mount of Transfiguration.3 Yet despite the differences, a basic consistency remains across all the accounts of the First Vision. Some have mistakenly argued that any variation in the retelling of the story is evidence of fabrication. 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.

Click here to view the complete article

Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Seminary Teacher Manual, "LESSON 6: Joseph Smith—History 1:1–20"

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,  Doctrine and Covenants and Church History Seminary Teacher Manual, (2013)
Just as Joseph Smith emphasized different aspects of his vision in his multiple accounts, the Apostle Paul emphasized different aspects of his vision of the Savior to different audiences (see Acts 9:1–9; Acts 22:5–11; Acts 26:12–20). Why do you think Joseph Smith and Paul emphasized different things each time they related the accounts of their visions?

Click here to view the complete article

Ensign, "Joseph Smith's Recitals of the First Vision"

Milton V. Backman,  Ensign, (January 1985)
On at least four different occasions, Joseph Smith either wrote or dictated to scribes accounts of his sacred experience of 1820. Possibly he penned or dictated other histories of the First Vision; if so, they have not been located. The four surviving recitals of this theophany were prepared or rendered through different scribes, at different times, from a different perspective, for different purposes and to different audiences.1 It is not surprising, therefore, that each of them emphasizes different aspects of his experience.

Click here to view the complete article

Improvement Era, "Eight Contemporary Accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision - What Do We Learn from Them?"

James B. Allen,  Improvement Era, (April 1970)
Nevertheless, it can now be demonstrated that the Prophet described his experience to friends and acquaintances at least as early as 1831-32, and that he continued to do so in varying detail until the year of his death, 1844. We presently know of at least eight contemporary documents that were written during his lifetime.

Click here to view the complete article

Ensign, "Joseph Smith: An Apostle of Jesus Christ"

Dennis B. Neuenschwander,  Ensign, (January 2009)
Joseph's vision was at first an intensely personal experience—an answer to a specific question. Over time, however, illuminated by additional experience and instruction, it became the founding revelation of the Restoration.

Click here to view the complete article

Answer


The Church has published information about the various First Vision accounts since at least 1970. Critics of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints often seek to point out differences between the various accounts which Joseph Smith gave of his First Vision. In defense of their position that the Prophet changed his story over a six year period (1832 to 1838) they claim that the earliest followers of Joseph Smith either didn’t know about the First Vision, or seem to have been confused about it. The Church, however, has discussed the various accounts in a number of publications. Joseph Smith's various accounts of the First Vision were targeted at different audiences, and had different purposes. They, however, show a remarkable degree of harmony between them. There is no evidence that the early leaders of the LDS Church did not understand that the Prophet saw two Divine Personages during his inaugural theophany.

Sub-articles


1832

Summary: Critical analysis of Joseph Smith's 1832 First Vision account

1835

Summary: Critical analysis of Joseph Smith's 1835 First Vision account

1838

Summary: Joseph Smith's 1838 First Vision account is analyzed by critics of the Church in order to use it to prove that the First Vision never occurred. A variety of critical arguments are raised based upon the words Joseph used to describe the events leading up to his First Vision. We examine here the introduction to Joseph's 1838 First Vision account, found in the Pearl of Great Price and separate facts from opinion.

Detailed Analysis

"Critics of Mormonism have delighted in the discrepancies between the canonical [1838 PGP] account and earlier renditions, especially one written in Smith's own hand in 1832. For example, in the 1832 version, Jesus appears to Smith alone, and does all the talking himself. Such complaints, however, are much ado about relatively nothing. Any good lawyer (or historian) would expect to find contradictions or competing narratives written down years apart and decades after the event. And despite the contradictions, key elements abide. In each case, Jesus appears to Smith in a vision. In each case, Smith is blessed with a revelation. In each case, God tells him to remain aloof from all Christian denominations, as something better is in store." - Stephen Prothero, American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003), 171.

Steven C. Harper, "Four Accounts and Three Critiques of Joseph Smith’s First Vision"

Steven C. Harper,  Proceedings of the 2011 FAIR Conference, (August 2011)
There are essentially three arguments against the first vision. The minister to whom Joseph reported the event announced that there were no such things these days. More than a century later Fawn Brodie wrote with literary grace to mask historical deficiencies that Joseph concocted the vision years after he said it happened. Then a generation later Wesley Walters charged Joseph with inventing revivalism when a lack of historical evidence proved that there was none, and therefore no subsequent vision as a result. So by now it has become a foregone conclusion for some there are no such things as visions, and Joseph failed to mention his experience for years and then gave conflicting accounts that didn’t match historical facts.

Click here to view the complete article

Topics

Criticisms of the accounts in general

Censorship and revision of LDS History: The First Vision?

Summary: Critics charge that the existence of multiple accounts of the First Vision have been suppressed or hidden.

Criticisms of Joseph's 1832 account of the First Vision

One personage?

Summary: Did Joseph Smith claim to see only one Personage in his 1832 vision account?

Different age?

Summary: Did Joseph give a different age in the 1832 account?

Revivals in 1820?

Summary: Did Joseph's 1832 account not mention any religious revivals in his area?

Motivation for praying

Summary: Was Joseph's motivation in the 1832 account different than later accounts?

New dispensation

Summary: Was the idea of a new dispensation a later addition to Joseph's account?

Forbidden to join

Summary: Did Joseph really not mention being forbidden to join other churches in 1832?

Persecution

Summary: Was persecution for his vision absent in Joseph's 1832 account?

Struggle with Satan

Summary: Why isn't the Prophet's struggle with Satan in the 1832 account?

Destruction of wicked

Summary: Why does the 1832 account mention destruction of the wicked but the 1838 account doesn't?

Heaven or earth?

Summary: Is the 1832 vision set in heaven or on the earth?

Eternal life

Summary: Does the 1832 account say that eternal life is given to everyone regardless of church affiliation?

Criticisms of Joseph's 1835 account of the First Vision

Angels

Summary: The 1835 account mentions "Angels"

Criticisms of Joseph's 1838 account of the First Vision

[[../Smith family place of residence in 1820|Removal to Manchester]]

Summary: Where was the Smith family living in the second year after their "removal to Manchester?"

[[../Methodist camp meetings|Commenced with the Methodists]]

Summary: Joseph said that the religious excitement "commenced with the Methodists"

[[../Lucy Mack Smith and the Presbyterians|Joseph's family joining Presbyterians]]

Summary: When was Joseph's family "proselyted to the Presbyterian faith?"

Leadership crisis?

Summary: Did Joseph create the 1838 account to offset a leadership crisis?

Criticism of other individuals' accounts of the First Vision

George Q. Cannon referred to angels

Summary: Did George Q. Cannon claim Joseph only had the ministering of angels?

Oliver Cowdery's 1834 account of the First Vision/Moroni's visit

Summary: Was Oliver Cowdery unaware of the First Vision as late as 1834–1835?

Orson Hyde referred to angels

Summary: Did Orson Hyde really claim Joseph only had the ministering of angels?

Personage as an angel

Summary: Did Andrew Jenson call Joseph's heavenly visitor "an angel," rather than God?

Kimball denial?

Summary: Did Heber C. Kimball really deny that the Father appeared to Joseph?

Pratt calls personage an angel

Summary: Was Orson Pratt confused about who appeared at the First vision?

God only appeared?

Summary: Did Parley P. Pratt only mention the appearance of God?

George A. Smith unaware?

Summary: Was George A. Smith unaware of the visit of the Father and the Son?

Lucy Mack Smith mentions an angel

Summary: Did Lucy Mack Smith, Joseph's mother, refer to "an angel," rather than God?

William Smith mentions and angel

Summary: Where did William Smith get the idea that an "angel" appeared?

Orson Spencer mentions an angel

Summary: Did Orson Spencer say that the Prophet's first manifestation was of an "angel"?

John Taylor's understanding of the First Vision

Summary: Did John Taylor teach that Joseph Smith saw only one Deity?

Wilford Woodruff mentions an angel

Summary: Did Wilford Woodruff speak of an "angel" appearing during the First Vision?

Brigham Young's understanding of the First Vision

Summary: Did Brigham Young really never mention the First Vision in his lifetime of preaching?

Brigham said the the Lord "didn't appear?"

Summary: Did Brigham Young claim only an angel appeared?

== Notes ==


Further reading and additional sources responding to these claims