Utilisateur:RogerNicholson/Sandbox5/How the vision story has been presented

I'm certain that I hold the high ground here.

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.”
Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909)

—The Wikipedia editor who uses the pseudonym "John Foxe," during an edit battle on the "First Vision" article (16 May 2007)

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How the vision story has been presented

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
The importance of the First Vision within the Latter Day Saint movement evolved over time. There is little evidence that Smith discussed the First Vision publicly prior to 1830.
Mormon historian James B. Allen notes that: The fact that none of the available contemporary writings about Joseph Smith in the 1830s, none of the publications of the Church in that decade, and no contemporary journal or correspondence yet discovered mentions the story of the first vision is convincing evidence that at best it received only limited circulation in those early days.
Smith said that he made an oblique reference to the vision in 1820 to his mother, telling her the day it happened that he had "learned for [him]self that Presbyterianism is not true."	Lucy did not mention this conversation in her memoirs.
In the oldest known account of the First Vision, Joseph Smith, Jr., said he "could find none that would believe" his experience.
He said that shortly after the experience, he told the story of his revelation to a Methodist minister
who responded "with great contempt, saying it was all of the devil, that there was no such thing as visions or revelations in these days; that all such things had ceased with the apostles, and that there never would be any more of them."
He also said that the telling of his vision story "excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors of religion, and was the cause of great persecution, which continued to increase."
There is no contemporary evidence for this persecution beyond Smith's testimony.
None of the earliest anti-Mormon literature mentioned the First Vision.
Smith also said he told others about the vision during the 1820s, and some family members said that they had heard him mention it, but none prior to 1823, when Smith said he had his second vision.

Possible 1830 allusion

In this section the wiki authors refer to a web site sponsored by "amateur Mormon apologist" Jeff Lindsay.

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
Amateur Mormon apologist Jeff Lindsay argues that Joseph Smith may have referred to the First Vision in the Articles and Covenants of the Church of Christ, written in June 1830
and first published in 1831.
In describing the beginnings of Smith's Church of Christ, the document says: For, after that it truly was manifested unto the first elder that he had received remission of his sins, he was entangled again in the vanities of the world, but after truly repenting, God visited him by an holy angel...and gave unto him power, by the means which was before prepared that he should translate a book."
Lindsay says that the general outline, the heavenly manifestation, Smith's forgiveness and relapse into sin and his subsequent repentance and visit by an angel, is similar to subsequent accounts,
but this 1830 statement does not mention an appearance of Jesus or God the Father and there is no condemnation of contemporary churches.		Reference is to Grant H. Palmer, An Insider's View of Mormon Origins (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 2002) 240. ( Index of claims )

Commentary

• There is a significant reference to the First Vision in a published document from the 1830s which is not included in the Wikipedia article. LDS missionaries were teaching that Joseph Smith had seen God "personally" and received a commission from Him to teach true religion (The Reflector, vol. 2, no. 13, 14 February 1831).
• As a matter of fact, with regard to the reference in the Palmyra Reflector, Richard Abanes, in his anti-Mormon work Becoming Gods, boldly declares in the main body of his text on page 34 that "[n]ot a single piece of published literature" mentions the First Vision, yet in an endnote at the back of the book on page 338 acknowledges this newspaper account. He attempts to dismiss this by claiming that the reference is "vague," yet acknowledges that "as early as 1831 Smith might have been starting to privately tell select persons that he had at some point seen God."
• LDS missionaries were teaching with regard to Joseph Smith: "Having repented of his sins, but not attached himself to any party of Christians, owing to the numerous divisions among them, and being in doubt what his duty was, he had recourse [to] prayer" (The Fredonia Censor, vol. 11, no. 50, 7 March 1832).

Joseph Smith's 1832 account

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
The earliest extant account of the First Vision was handwritten by Joseph Smith in 1832, but it was not published until 1965.
[T]he Lord heard my cry in the wilderness and while in <the> attitude of calling upon the Lord <in the 16th year of my age> a pillar of fire light above the brightness of the sun at noon day come down from above and rested upon me and I was filled with the spirit of god and the <Lord> opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph <my son> thy sins are forgiven thee. go thy <way> walk in my statutes and keep my commandments behold I am the Lord of glory I was crucifyed for the world that all those who believe on my name may have Eternal life <behold> the world lieth in sin and at this time and none doeth good no not one they have turned aside from the gospel and keep not <my> commandments they draw near to me with their lips while their hearts are far from me and mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants of the earth to visit them according to th[e]ir ungodliness and to bring to pass that which <hath> been spoken by the mouth of the prophets and Ap[o]stles behold and lo I come quickly as it [is] written of me in the cloud <clothed> in the glory of my Father . . . ."
Unlike later accounts of the vision, the emphasis of the 1832 account is on the young Joseph's quest for personal forgiveness. The account does not mention an appearance of God the Father, nor does it mention the phrase "This is my beloved Son, hear him." In the 1832 account, Smith also stated that before he experienced the First Vision, his own searching of the Scriptures had led him to the conclusion that mankind had "apostatized from the true and living faith and there was no society or denomination that built upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the new testament."

1834 account by Oliver Cowdery

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
In several issues of the LDS periodical Messenger and Advocate (1834-35), Oliver Cowdery wrote an early biography of Joseph Smith, Jr. In one issue, Cowdery explained that Smith was confused by the different religions and local revivals during his "15th year" (1820), leading him to wonder which church was true. In the next issue of the biography, Cowdery explained that reference to Smith's "15th year" was a typographical error, and that actually the revivals and religious confusion took place in Smith's "17th year." However, Cowdery apparently confused Smith's "17th year" (1822) with Smith being "seventeen years old" (1823), and thus he gave the year as 1823.		Oliver's account was split across two issues. In the first installment, he is clearly describing the events leading up to the First Vision. Here is what Oliver says in the first installment: "...I come to the 15th year of his life..." "...One Mr. Lane, a presiding Elder of the Methodist church, visited Palmyra, and vicinity. Elder Lane was a tallented [talented] man possessing a good share of literary endowments, and apparent humility." "There was a great awakening, or excitement raised on the subject of religion, and much enquiry for the word of life. Large additions were made to the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches." Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 3/LETTER III
Therefore, according to Cowdery, the religious confusion led Smith to pray in his bedroom, late on the night of September 23 1823, after the others had gone to sleep, to know which of the competing denominations was correct and whether "a Supreme being did exist." In response, an angel appeared and granted him forgiveness of his sins. The remainder of the story roughly parallels Smith's later description of a visit by angel in 1823 who told him about the Golden Plates. Thus, Cowdery's account, containing a single vision, differs from Smith's 1832 account, which contains two separate visions, one in 1821 prompted by religious confusion (the First Vision) and a separate one regarding the plates on September 22 1822. Cowdery's account also differs from Smith's 1838 account, which includes a First Vision in 1820 and a second vision on September 22, 1823.		In the second issue (printed two months later), Oliver suddenly switches to an account of Moroni's visit. He does not state the reason for the change, but simply says "You will recollect that I mentioned the time of a religious excitement, in Palmyra and vicinity to have been in the 15th year of our brother J. Smith Jr's, age—that was an error in the type—it should have been in the 17th.—You will please remember this correction, as it will be necessary for the full understanding of what will follow in time. This would bring the date down to the year 1823." Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate/Volume 1/Number 5/Letter to W. W. Phelps from Oliver Cowdery (Feb. 27,1835)

Commentary

•  Violates Wikipedia: Synthesis off-site: Do not put together information from multiple sources to reach a conclusion that is not stated explicitly by any of the sources.
  
  The wiki author moves beyond the sources when he synthesizes the conclusion that "Cowdery apparently confused Smith's "17th year" (1822) with Smith being "seventeen years old" (1823), and thus he gave the year as 1823." He is citing primary sources, none of which state that Oliver was "confused."
•  Internal contradiction: This section of the article contradicts a statement or reference in another section of the article.
  This section contradicts a footnote in How the vision story has been presented. Oliver's first installment refers to "Elder Lane." The reference to "Elder Lane" is not included in this section, yet, one notes that buried in one of the wiki author's earlier (positive) footnotes is the following: "According to Mormon apologist Larry C. Porter, the Methodist minister, George Lane, may have passed very near the Smith home and preached at a camp meeting along the way in July of 1820..." This clearly ties Oliver's first installment to the year 1820.

Joseph Smith's 1835 account

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
On November 9, 1835, Smith recorded an account of the First Vision in his diary that mentioned a vision of two unidentified personages and "many angels" when he was "about 14 years old." Jesus is identified as the Son of God, but neither "personage" is identified with Him. Smith also noted that he had another vision in his bedroom when he was 17.		What does the footnote's description of the Lectures on Faith have to do with the 1835 First Vision? From Joseph's 1835 diary: a personage appeard in the midst of this pillar of flame which was spread all around, and yet nothing consumed, another personage soon appeard like unto the first, he said unto me thy sins are forgiven thee, he testified unto me that Jesus Christ is the Son of God; and I saw many angels in this vision I was about 14 years old when I received this first communication; —Diary of Joseph Smith, Jr. (1835-1836) Although the wiki author takes pains to point out that neither of the "two unidentified personages" was identified as Jesus Christ, it should be obvious from the earlier 1832 account (which mentioned Jesus Christ) that Joseph is describing the same encounter.
Unlike previous and subsequent accounts, there is no mention of all churches being condemned as corrupt.		From Joseph's 1835 diary: ...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... Joseph's account does indeed indicate that he was trying to determine which church was the correct one. Contrary to the author's repeated assertion that Joseph said that "all churches" were corrupt, he never said that. He said that he was told that "their creeds were an abomination."

Joseph Smith's 1838 Account

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
In 1838, Joseph Smith said that eighteen years previous, in the spring of 1820, during a period of "confusion and strife among the different denominations" following an "unusual excitement on the subject of religion", he had debated which of the various Christian groups he should join. While in turmoil, he read from the Bible: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."
One morning, deeply impressed by this scripture, the fourteen-year-old Smith went to a grove of trees behind the family farm, knelt, and began his first vocal prayer. Almost immediately he was confronted by an evil power that prevented speech. A darkness gathered around him, and Smith believed that he would be destroyed. He continued the prayer silently, asking for God's assistance though still resigned to destruction. At this moment a light brighter than the sun descended towards him, and he was delivered from the evil power. In the light, Smith "saw two personages standing in the air", identified as God the Father and Jesus Christ. One pointed to the other and said "This is My Beloved Son, hear Him." Smith asked which religious sect he should join and was told to join none of them because all existing religions had corrupted the teachings of Jesus Christ.		From the 1838 account: 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; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has canonized Smith's 1838 account of the First Vision.

Accounts created for publication

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
An 1840 missionary tract by Orson Pratt stated that after Smith saw the light, "his mind was caught away, from the natural objects with which he was surrounded; and he was enwrapped in a heavenly vision." Pratt's account referred to "two glorious personages who exactly resembled each other in their features or likeness", but did not identify them as angels or as God and Jesus, or otherwise.		The wiki author's attempt to paraphrase Orson Pratt's account is amusing. He is referring to Orson Pratt's description of the First Vision in his 1840 pamphlet, which was published after the 1838 account in which Joseph identified the "two glorious personages" as Jesus Christ and God the Father. Obviously, Pratt obtained his information from one of Joseph's earlier accounts. If these personages were not angels, God or Jesus, then what is the author attempting to imply?  Painful prose In an amusing bit of convoluted prose, the beings are described as "two glorious personages," yet the author states that they were not described as "angels or as God and Jesus, or otherwise. (soulignons a été ajouté) One has to wonder, what else is there?
In 1842, two years before his assassination, Joseph Smith, Jr., wrote a letter to John Wentworth, editor of the Chicago Democrat. In the letter, Smith outlined the basic beliefs of the Latter Day Saint movement and included an account of the First Vision.
Smith said that he was "about fourteen years of age" when he had the First Vision.	Like the Orson Pratt account, Smith's Wentworth letter said that his "mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped in a heavenly vision."	This should be no surprise, since Joseph said that he was "in his fifteenth year" (i.e. fourteen years of age) in all of his accounts except for the one written in 1832.
In language paralleling that used two years earlier by Orson Pratt, Smith said he "saw two glorious personages who exactly resembled each other in features, and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon-day",		For some reason, the author wishes to imply that Joseph copied Orson Pratt's account. It is more reasonable to assume that Joseph use words from his own earlier accounts.
but Smith did not identify the personages or note whether they were angels or deities. Smith said he was told that no religious denomination "was acknowledged of God as his church and kingdom" and that he was "expressly commanded to 'go not after them.'"		Again, the author's implication is laughable. Joseph is writing an account in 1842, well after his 1838 account (which was eventually canonized), and it is again being pointed out that Joseph didn't identify the personages as angels or deities. From the 1838 account: When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!

Smith's accounts found in later reminiscences

-	Wikipedia Main Article: [{{{link}}}#{{{section}}} {{{article}}}–{{{section}}}]	Wikipedia Footnotes: [{{{link}}}#Notes {{{article}}}–Notes]	A FAIR Opinion
Late in his life, Smith's brother, William, gave two accounts of the First Vision, dating it to 1823,
when William was twelve years old. William said the religious excitement in Palmyra had occurred in 1822-23 (rather than the actual date of 1824-25), that it was stimulated by the preaching of a Methodist, the Rev. George Lane, a "great revival preacher," and that his mother and some of his siblings had then joined the Presbyterian church.		Violates Wikipedia: No Original Research off-site— Do not use unpublished facts, arguments, speculation, and ideas; and any unpublished analysis or synthesis of published material that serves to advance a position. The wiki author has slipped in his own conclusion that "religious excitement" in Palmyra could only have occurred in 1824-1825 as if it were an indisputable fact.
William Smith said he based his account on what Joseph had told William and the rest of his family the day after the First Vision:
[A] light appeared in the heavens, and descended until it rested upon the trees where he was. It appeared like fire. But to his great astonishment, did not burn the trees. An angel then appeared to him and conversed with him upon many things. He told him that none of the sects were right; but that if he was faithful in keeping the commandments he should receive, the true way should be made known to him; that his sins were forgiven, etc.
In an 1884 account, William also stated that when Joseph first saw the light above the trees in the grove, he fell unconscious for an undetermined amount of time, after which he awoke and heard "the personage whom he saw" speak to him.

Commentary

• Anti-Mormons conveniently neglect to tell their audience members that directly after making this anomalous statement William adds that, "A more elaborate and accurate description of [Joseph Smith's] vision, however, will be found in his own history" (William B. Smith, William Smith on Mormonism [Lamoni, IA: Herald Steam Book and Job Office, 1883], 9).

References

1. Smith, William, (1883), William Smith on Mormonism: A True Account of the Origin of the Book of Mormon , Lamoni, Iowa: RLDS Church off-site .
2. Smith, William, (1884), The Old Soldier's Testimony off-site .