Difference between revisions of "Multiple accounts of the First Vision/George A. Smith said First Vision was an "angel""

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Criticism

Apostle George A. Smith said on two separate occasions that Joseph Smith's First Vision was of an "angel" - not of the Father and the Son.

Source(s) of the criticism

Christian Research and Counsel, “Documented History of Joseph Smith’s First Vision,” full-color pamphlet, 10 pages. [There is a notation within this pamphlet indicating that research and portions of text were garnered from Utah Lighthouse Ministry]

Response

Historic documents appear to verify the claim that on two different occasions Elder George A. Smith spoke of an angel appearing during Joseph Smith's First Vision. But this does not mean that Elder Smith was not aware of the Father and the Son appearing to the Prophet at the time that he made his anomalous remarks. The following timeline demonstrates that Elder Smith was well aware of the official version of events. His out-of-place comments need to be evaluated from that perspective.

7 April 1854

Elder George A. Smith was appointed at General Conference to be the new Church Historian.

15 August 1855

The First Vision account as found in the Wentworth Letter was published in Salt Lake City in connection with the official History of the Church. Since Elder Smith was the Church Historian at this time he likely would have known of the content of this publication.

(See Deseret News, vol. 5, no. 23, 15 August 1855, 1).

15 November 1864

Elder George A. Smith quoted directly (and at length) from the official First Vision account, which was first published in the Times and Seasons newspaper on 1 April 1842. Elder Smith quoted the line, “This is my Beloved Son, hear Him” – leaving no doubt about the fact that Elder Smith knew the identity of the two Personages who appeared to his cousin - Joseph Smith - during the First Vision.

(Journal of Discourses, 11:2).

15 November 1868

Elder George A. Smith accurately related many First Vision story elements (as published in the Church’s official history) but mistakenly mixed them together with several accurate angel Moroni story elements (as published in the Church’s official history).

• Joseph was 14 or 15 years old
• There was a revival involving Baptists, Presbyterians, and Methodists
• There was a scramble after the revival to secure converts
• Unpleasant feelings were the result
• Joseph Smith had attended those meetings
• Joseph Smith prayed because of James 1:5
• The Lord sent an angel to Joseph Smith in answer to his prayer
• Joseph Smith asked the angel which church was right and the angel said they were all wrong
• The vision was repeated several times and Joseph was commanded to tell his father of it
• Joseph’s father told him to observe the instructions which were given to him

(Journal of Discourses, 12:334).

20 June 1869

Elder George A. Smith mistakenly mixed together accurate First Vision story elements with accurate angel Moroni story elements. He said,

• Some members of Joseph Smith’s family joined the Presbyterians
• Joseph Smith reflected much on religion
• Joseph Smith was astonished at the bad feelings manifested at the end of the reformation
• Joseph Smith was led to pray because of James 1:5
• Joseph Smith had a vision of a holy angel
• Joseph Smith asked which of the denominations in the vicinity was right
• Joseph Smith was told that they had all gone astray and wandered into darkness
• Joseph Smith was instructed not to join any of them
• Joseph Smith was told that God was about to restore the gospel in its simplicity and purity.

(Journal of Discourses, 13:77–78).

20 November 1870

Elder George A. Smith accurately related several First Vision story elements. This time he did NOT mistakenly include any angel Moroni story elements in his narrative.

• The Lord revealed Himself to Joseph Smith
• Joseph Smith was puzzled by hearing learned men preach about different doctrines
• Joseph Smith saw the learned men quarrel over converts
• Joseph Smith prayed humbly, with faith, because of James 1:5
• Joseph Smith asked the Lord which was the right way
• The Lord showed Joseph Smith the right way

(Journal of Discourses, 13:293).

The pattern that can be seen in the above timeline is that Elder George A. Smith was accurate in First Vision details when he had a text to read from, was partially accurate when he was talking extemporaneously, and then corrected himself after his erroneous remarks had been delivered.

Conclusion

The argument that Elder George A. Smith was simply not aware of a Father-and-Son First Vision account when he made his "angel" statements is utterly unconvincing since it can be shown from a documentary standpoint that he did indeed have prior knowledge of such a thing. An argument of ignorance is also untenable in light of the fact that Elder Smith's colleagues in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had published orthodox recitals of the First Vision on eight different occasions long BEFORE he made his verbal missteps at the pulpit: (Orson Pratt - 1840, 1850, 1851); (Orson Hyde - 1842); (John Taylor - 1850); (Lorenzo Snow - 1850); (Franklin D. Richards - 1851, 1852).

Endnotes

None

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

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External links

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