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. Contained in, New Mormon Studies CD-ROM, Smith Research Associates.
Principle elements of the account:
- Began reflecting on the importance of being prepared for the
future state, but upon inquiring found a great conflict of
religious opinion
- No mention of a revival
- Age 14 (1820)
- He was in a grove
- Had a vision of two personages - unidentified
- Was told all churches are wrong and is to join none of them
- Was told a future revelation would teach him of the fullness
of the gospel
- Three years later has vision of a single personage (same description as previous personages) which is identified as an angel
The Account
Joseph Smith, Latter Day Saints, p.404-405
“When about fourteen years of age, I began to reflect upon
the importance of being prepared for a future state; and
upon inquiring the place of salvation, I found that there
was a great clash in religious sentiment; if I went to one
society they referred me to one place, and another to
another; each one pointing to his particular creed as the "summum
bonum" of perfection. Considering that all could not be
right, and that God could not be the author of so much
confusion, I determined to investigate the subject more
fully, believing that if God had a church, it would not be
split up into factions, and that if he taught one society to
worship one way, and administer in one set of ordinances, he
would not teach another principles which were diametrically
opposed. Believing the word of God, I had confidence in the
declaration of James, "If any man lack wisdom let him ask of
God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and
it shall be given him."
I retired to a secret place in a grove, and began to call
upon the Lord. While fervently engaged in supplication, my
mind was taken away from the objects with which I was
surrounded, and I was enrapt in a heavenly vision, and saw
two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in
features and likeness, surrounded with a brilliant light,
which eclipsed the sun at noonday. They told me that all the
religious denominations were believing in incorrect
doctrines, and that none of them was acknowledged of God as
His Church and Kingdom. And I was expressly commanded to "go
not after them," at the same time receiving a promise that
the fullness of the gospel should at some future time be
made known unto me.
On the evening of the 21st September, A.D. 1823, while I was
praying unto God and endeavoring to exercise faith in the
precious promises of scripture, on a sudden a light like
that of day, only of a far purer and more glorious
appearance and brightness, burst into the room; indeed the
first sight was as though the house was filled with
consuming fire. The appearance produced a shock that
affected the whole body. In a moment a personage stood
before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than that with
which I was already surrounded. This messenger proclaimed
himself to be an angel of God, sent to bring the joyful
tidings, that the covenant which God made with ancient
Israel was at hand to be fulfilled; that the preparatory
work for the second coming of the Messiah was speedily to
commence; that the time was at hand for the gospel in all
its fullness to be preached in power, unto all nations, that
a people might be prepared for the millennial reign. I was
informed that I was chosen to be an instrument in the hands
of God to bring about some of his purposes in this glorious
dispensation. I was informed also concerning the aboriginal
inhabitants of this country, and shown who they were, and
from whence they came; a brief sketch of their origin,
progress, civilization, laws, governments, of their
righteousness and iniquity, and the blessings of God being
finally withdrawn from them as a people, was made known unto
me.”
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It is interesting that in this account, written by Joseph Smith only a couple of years after the "official version" is published, Joseph does not identify the messengers as the Father and the Son, nor does he mention the motivating factor of a revival. These and other discrepancies between this and the 1838 account, raise questions about the veracity and historical accuracy of the 1838 official account.