Moroni's visit/Nephi or Moroni

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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.

Sources which mention Nephi

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

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

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

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

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The Millenial Star then served as the source for Lucy Mack Smith's account in A History of Joseph Smith the Prophet By His Mother:

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And, the Pearl of Great Price, published in England and not yet canonized.

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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.

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, as John Taylor reported:

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.

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

• Links to related articles in the wiki

FAIR web site

• FAIR Topical Guide:

External links

• Eldon Watson and D. Charles Pyle Nephi/Moroni

Printed material

• Printed resources whose text is not available online