Moroni's visit/Nephi or Moroni

Criticism

The Church teaches that Moroni was the heavenly messenger which appeared to Joseph Smith and directed him to the gold plates. Yet, some Church sources give the identity of this messenger as Nephi. Critics claim that this shows that Joseph was 'making it up as he went along.'

Response

Critics cite a variety of sources that repeat the Nephi claim. The key point to understand is that there is really only one source that claims Nephi; the other sources which mention Nephi are merely citing this one source, thus perpetuating the error.

These facts have not been hidden; they are readily available in the History of the Church:

In the original publication of the history in the Times and Seasons at Nauvoo, this name appears as "Nephi," and the Millennial Star perpetuated the error in its republication of the History. That it is an error is evident, and it is so noted in the manuscripts to which access has been had in the preparation of this work.^[1]

Sources which mention Nephi

Thus, the claim that the messenger was "Nephi" derives, in fact, from only one source: the Manuscript History of the Church

• This document was then reprinted in the Times and Seasons:

He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi. That God has a work for me to do, and that my name should be had for good and er that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people. He said there was a book deposited written upon gold plates, giving an account of the former inhabitants of this continent, and the source from whence they sprang. [italics added]^[2]

It should be noted that Joseph had turned the editorial duties of the Times and Seasons over to John Taylor because of other demands on his time. It is therefore unlikely that Joseph saw this published version prior to its publication.

• In England, the Church's Millenial Star printed the same article, perpetuating the error:

He called me by name and said unto me, that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi. [italics added]^[3]

• This idea was repeated further in the same volume:

Again, when we read the history of our beloved brother, Joseph Smith, and of the glorious ministry and message of the angel Nephi, which has finally opened a new dispensation to man, and commenced a revolution in the moral, civil, and religious government of the world...[italics added]^[4]

• The Millenial Star and Times and Seasons accounts then served as the source for Lucy Mack Smith's book:

He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi...[citing] Times and Seasons, vol. iii., p. 729. Supp. to Mil. Star, vol. xiv., p. 4.[italics added]^[5]

• And, the Pearl of Great Price, published in England and not yet canonized, drew on the Millenial Star's versions, citing "Times & Seasons, Vol. iii, p. 726, &c." (p. 36).

He called me by name and said unto me, that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Nephi.[italics added]^[6]

• Finally, Thomas Bullock's journal refers to the Times and Seasons as his source for the story.

INSERT TEXT HERE[italics added]^[7]

Thus, a single error in the Manuscript History had a ripple effect through several published accounts of the vision. But, these accounts are not independent 'proof' that Joseph was changing the story; they all depend on a single error.

Sources which mention Moroni

In contrast to the single source's error above, there are multiple independent sources, edited by Joseph Smith and others (some hostile), which demonstrate that the story about Moroni was well-known to members of the Church and enemies:

• D&C 27:5 - 1830–1835

Behold this is wisdom in me: wherefore marvel not for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel [modern edition D&C 27:5]^[8]

• Mormonism Unvailed - 1834, reprinted as History of Mormonism in 1840 [anti-Mormon work]

After he had finished translating the Book of Mormon, he again buried up the plates in the side of a mountain, by command of the Lord; some time after this, he was going through a piece of woods, on a by-path, when he discovered an old man dressed in ordinary grey apparel...The Lord told him that the man he saw was MORONI, with the plates, and if he had given him the five coppers, he might have got his plates again. (emphasis in original)^[9]

• Messenger and Advocate - 1835

I have now given you a rehearsal of what was communicated to our brother, when he was directed to go and obtain the record of the Nephites…and I believe that the angel Moroni, whose words I have been rehearsing, who communicated the knowledge of the record of the Nephites, in this age, saw also, before he hid up the same unto the Lord, great and marvelous things, which were to transpire when the same should come forth^[10]

• Elder's Journal - July 1838

For those holy men are angels now. And these are they, who make the fulness of times complete with us. And they who sin against this authority given to him...sins not against him only, but against Moroni, who holds the keys of the stick of Ephraim. (italics added)
— David W. Patten, Elder's Journal 1:3 (July 1838) :42 (see also Millenial Star 1:126).

• Elder's Journal - July 1838

How, and where did you obtain the book of Mormon?...Moroni, the person who deposited the plates, from whence the book of Mormon was translated, in a hill in Manchester, Ontario County, New York, being dead, and raised again therefrom, appeared unto me and told me where they were and gave me directions how to obtain them. I obtained them and the Urim and Thummim with them, by the means of which I translated the plates and thus came the book of Mormon.
— Joseph Smith, Jr., Elder's Journal 1:3 (July 1838) :42-43.

• D&C 128 (labelled 104 in 1844 edition) - 1844

And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the fulfilment of the prophets—the book to be revealed. (D&C 128:20).

Conclusion

This is thus not an example of Joseph changing his story, but a detail being improperly recorded by someone other than Joseph, and then reprinted uncritically. Clear contemporary evidence from Joseph—and his enemies, who would have seized on any inconsistency had they known of it—shows that Moroni was the named messenger.

It is perhaps not surprising that Joseph's associates made the error, since Joseph also had contact with Nephi during the restoration:

Who was it that administered to Joseph Smith? Moroni and Nephi, men who had lived upon this continent.
— John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 19:82.

Afterwards the Angel Moroni came to him and revealed to him the Book of Mormon, with the history of which you are generally familiar, and also with the statements that I am now making pertaining to these things. And then came Nephi, one of the ancient prophets, that had lived upon this continent, who had an interest in the welfare of the people that he had lived amongst in those days.
— John Taylor, Journal of Discourses 21:161.

If you will read the history of the Church from the beginning, you will find that Joseph was visited by various angelic beings, but not one of them professed to give him the keys until John the Baptist came to him. Moroni, who held the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim, visited Joseph; he had doubtless, also, visits from Nephi and it may be from Alma and others.
— George A. Smith, Journal of Discourses 13:47 (5 Dec 1869).

Endnotes

1. [note] Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 1:11–12, footnote 2. Volume 1 link
2. [note] "History of Joseph Smith (continued)," Times and Seasons 3:12 (15 April 1842): 753.
3. [note]  "History of Joseph Smith From the 'Times and Seasons'," Millenial Star 3:4 (August 1842): 53.
4. [note]  "The Millennial Star. August 1, 1842," Millenial Star 3:4 (August 1842): 71.
5. [note]  Lucy [Mack] Smith, Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and his Progenitors for Many Generations, (London: Latter-Day Saints' Book Depot, 1853), 78–80.
6. [note]  Franklin D. Richards (publisher), The Pearl of Great Price, 1st edition, (Liverpool: R. James, South Castle Street, 1851), 40-41.
7. [note]  Primary source for this needed
8. [note]  Doctrine and Covenants 50:2 (1835 edition); received August 1830, written September 1830 (See History of the Church, 1:106, foonote 3.)
9. [note]  Eber Dudley Howe, Mormonism Unvailed (Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press, 1834), 277.
10. [note]  Oliver Cowdery, Messenger and Advocate 1:7 (April 1835): 112.

Further reading

External links

• Elden Watson and D. Charles Pyle, Nephi/Moroni "The Nephi/Moroni Problem", mormonfortress.com.