Difference between revisions of "Accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision"

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|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts
 
|heading=Primary sources related to Joseph Smith's First Vision
 
|summary=Original text of Joseph's accounts of the First Vision
 
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|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1832
 
|subject=1832 account
 
|summary=This is the earliest known account of the First Vision written by Joseph Smith. Source: Joseph Smith Letterbook 1, pp. 1-6. Published in: Dean Jessee, ''Personal Writings of Joseph Smith''.
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1835
 
|subject=1835 account
 
|summary=This account was written by Joseph Smith in his diary. Joseph described his vision to Robert Matthias, also known as "Joshua the Jewish minister". Joseph Smith Diary (1835–1836), original in Joseph Smith Collection, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah. Published in: Dean Jessee, ''Personal Writings of Joseph Smith''.
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1835 (Erastus Holmes account)
 
|subject=1835 (Erastus Holmes account)
 
|summary=Erastus Holmes account  ''Deseret News'' 2.15 (May 29, 1852); also in ''Millennial Star'' 15. 27 (July 2, 1853): 424; Jessee, ''The Papers of Joseph Smith'', 2: 79-80; cf. {{Book:Vogel:EMD|Short|vol=1|pages=207}}; DHC 2. 312.
 
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|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1840 (Orson Pratt account)
 
|subject=1840 (Orson Pratt account)
 
|summary=
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1842 (Joseph Smith History of the Church)
 
|subject=1842 (Joseph Smith History of the Church)
 
|summary="Joseph Smith’s History of the Church," ''Times and Seasons'' 3. 10 (15 Mar. 1842): 726-28
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1842 Wentworth Letter account)
 
|subject=1842 (Wentworth letter account)
 
|summary=Wentworth letter. (''Times and Seasons'', 3.9 (1 Mar. 1842), p. 706-710
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1842 (Orson Hyde account)
 
|subject=1842 (Orson Hyde account)
 
|summary=
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1843 (The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette account)
 
|subject=1843 (''The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette'') 
 
|summary=“The Prairies, Nauvoo, Joe Smith, the Temple, the Mormons, etc.,” editor, David Nye White, ''The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette'' 58 (September 15, 1843): 3
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1843  (Levi Richards account)
 
|subject=1843  (Levi Richards account)
 
|summary=Levi Richards’s diary about Joseph Smith preaching in the summer of 1843 and repeating the Lord’s first message to him that no church was His (see {{Book:Ehat Cook:Words of Joseph Smith|pages=215}}
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1844 (Daniel Rupp account)
 
|subject=1844 (Daniel Rupp account)
 
|summary=: “Latter Day Saints, by Joseph Smith, Nauvoo, Illinois,” in I. Daniel Rupp, ''HE PASA EKKLESIA: An Original History of the Religious Denominations at Present Existing in the United States'' (Philadelphia: J. Y. Humphreys, 1844), pp. 404; The account for Rupp was published in the original history of the Church published in “History of Joseph Smith,” ''Millennial Star'' 22. 7 (February 18, 1860):  102-3; also in Dean Jesse, ''Papers of Joseph Smith'', 1:448.
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1844 (Alexander Neibaur account)
 
|subject=1844 (Alexander Neibaur account)
 
|summary=Alexander Neibaur Journal, 24 May 1844
 
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{{SummaryItem
 
|link=Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1893 (Charles L. Walker account)
 
|subject=1893 (Charles L. Walker account)
 
|summary=As told by John Alger
 
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*[[Joseph Smith's First Vision/First Vision accounts#Firsthand accounts|Firsthand accounts]]
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*[[Joseph Smith's First Vision/First Vision accounts#Secondhand accounts|Secondhand accounts]]
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*[[Joseph Smith's First Vision/First Vision accounts#Later accounts|Later accounts]]
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There were four firsthand and five secondhand accounts of Joseph's vision published in Joseph's lifetime. A description of each account is available in [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/site/accounts-of-the-first-vision "Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision"], josephsmithpapers.org.
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A brief summary of each is included below, along with a link to the original image and a transcription published by the Joseph Smith Papers Project.
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==Firsthand accounts==
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<small>Video published by Doctrine and Covenants Central.</small>
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<embedvideo service="youtube">ExPjK5ujN8Y</embedvideo>{{blankline}}
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<small>Video published by the Church History Department.</small>
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<embedvideo service="youtube">rP2ypXYUTxI</embedvideo>{{blankline}}
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Joseph Smith recorded four accounts of the First Vision (either by himself or using a scribe):
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-summer-1832/1 1832], a journal entry recorded by Joseph Smith
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/journal-1835-1836/24 1835], a journal entry recorded in Joseph Smith's official journal
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** A lightly edited version of this journal entry appeared in the [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-1834-1836/124 1835 JS history] prepared by Warren Parish
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-june-1839-circa-1841-draft-2/2 1838] (commonly known as [https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/pgp/js-h/1?lang=eng Joseph Smith–History] in the Pearl of Great Price)
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** Two other versions of this account were created in the [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-1841-draft-draft-3/2 1838–1841 draft history] and the [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/history-circa-1841-fair-copy/2 1841 fair copy history] as Joseph's scribes were preparing the Church history (formerly known as ''History of the Church'', now known as the JS, History, 1838–1856). It was also published in two parts the ''Times and Seasons'', on [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/times-and-seasons-15-march-1842/9 15 March 1842] and [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/times-and-seasons-1-april-1842/14 1 April 1842]
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/church-history-1-march-1842/1 1842] (commonly known as the Wentworth Letter)
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** A copy of this version appeared in an [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/latter-day-saints-1844/1 1844 book] published by Daniel Rupp
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==Secondhand accounts==
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Contemporaries of Joseph Smith recorded five secondhand accounts of the First Vision.
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/latter-day-saints-1844/1 1840, ''A(n) Interesting Account''], a pamphlet published by Apostle Orson Pratt
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/orson-hyde-ein-ruf-aus-der-wste-a-cry-out-of-the-wilderness-1842-extract-english-translation 1842, ''Ein Ruf aus der Wüste (A cry out of the wilderness)''], a pamphlet published by Apostle Orson Hyde ([https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/orson-hyde-ein-ruf-aus-der-wste-1842-extract?p=3 original German also available])
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/levi-richards-journal-11-june-1843-extract 1843, journal entry by Levi Richards], recording his experience listening to Joseph tell about the First Vision
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/interview-21-august-1843-extract 1843, newspaper report by David Nye White] in the ''Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette'', including an interview White did with Joseph Smith
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* [https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paperSummary/alexander-neibaur-journal-24-may-1844-extract 1844, journal entry by Alexander Neibaur], recording his experience listening to Joseph tell about the First Vision
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==Later accounts==
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In 1893, Charles Walker recorded [[Primary sources/Joseph Smith, Jr./First Vision accounts/1893 (Charles L. Walker account)|a late reminiscent account]] of hearing Joseph describe his vision.
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Latest revision as of 04:47, 17 May 2024

Accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision

There were four firsthand and five secondhand accounts of Joseph's vision published in Joseph's lifetime. A description of each account is available in "Accounts of Joseph Smith’s First Vision", josephsmithpapers.org.

A brief summary of each is included below, along with a link to the original image and a transcription published by the Joseph Smith Papers Project.

Firsthand accounts

Video published by Doctrine and Covenants Central.


Video published by the Church History Department.


Joseph Smith recorded four accounts of the First Vision (either by himself or using a scribe):

  • 1832, a journal entry recorded by Joseph Smith
  • 1835, a journal entry recorded in Joseph Smith's official journal
    • A lightly edited version of this journal entry appeared in the 1835 JS history prepared by Warren Parish
  • 1838 (commonly known as Joseph Smith–History in the Pearl of Great Price)
  • 1842 (commonly known as the Wentworth Letter)
    • A copy of this version appeared in an 1844 book published by Daniel Rupp

Secondhand accounts

Contemporaries of Joseph Smith recorded five secondhand accounts of the First Vision.

Later accounts

In 1893, Charles Walker recorded a late reminiscent account of hearing Joseph describe his vision.

Learn more about multiple accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision
Wiki links
Online
  • Roger Nicholson, "The Cowdery Conundrum: Oliver's Aborted Attempt to Describe Joseph Smith's First Vision in 1834 and 1835," Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 8/4 (6 December 2013). [27–44] link
  • Robert A. Rees, "Looking Deeper into Joseph Smith's First Vision: Imagery, Cognitive Neuroscience, and the Construction of Memory," Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 25/3 (21 April 2017). [67–80] link}
  • John A. Tvedtnes, "Variants in the Stories of the First Vision of Joseph Smith and the Apostle Paul," Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 2/5 (2 November 2012). [73–86] link
Video
  • "Multiple accounts of the First Vision," BH Roberts Foundation print-link.
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