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FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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=={{Criticism label}}== | =={{Criticism label}}== | ||
− | *Critics charge that Joseph Smith joined the Methodist, Presbyterian, | + | *Critics charge that Joseph Smith joined the Methodist, Presbyterian, or Baptist churches between 1820 and 1830—despite the claim made in his 1838 history that he was forbidden by Deity (during the 1820 First Vision experience) from joining any denomination.{{ref|fn1}} |
*Critics conclude that Joseph's alleged actions argue strongly against the reality of any encounter he might have had with God in the Sacred Grove. | *Critics conclude that Joseph's alleged actions argue strongly against the reality of any encounter he might have had with God in the Sacred Grove. | ||
− | *Critics claim that "at some point between 1821 and 1829," after the First Vision, that Joseph served as “a very passable exhorter” ''at Methodist camp meetings'' being held “away down in the woods, on the Vienna Road.” Since one could be a licensed "exhorter" at such meetings unless one were a member of the Methodist church, critics therefore claim that this indicates that Joseph became a church member. | + | *Critics claim that "at some point between 1821 and 1829," after the First Vision, that Joseph served as “a very passable exhorter” ''at Methodist camp meetings'' being held “away down in the woods, on the Vienna Road.” Since one could not be a licensed "exhorter" at such meetings unless one were a member of the Methodist church, critics therefore claim that this indicates that Joseph became a church member. |
− | + | *Critics charge that Joseph became a member of Emma Hale Smith's Methodist congregation in 1828. | |
{{CriticalSources}} | {{CriticalSources}} | ||
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{{SeeAlso|First Vision/Methodist camp meetings|l1=Joseph Smith and Methodist camp meetings}} | {{SeeAlso|First Vision/Methodist camp meetings|l1=Joseph Smith and Methodist camp meetings}} | ||
− | Three of the primary sources that charge Joseph Smith with joining sectarian churches between 1820 and 1830 were produced in the latter part of the nineteenth century. None of the three are contemporary records; the earliest one was written 50 years after the First Vision took place. The Lapham source is secondhand at best—putting forward information that reportedly came from the Prophet's father. The Lewis source presents a scenario that would have been witnessed when the informants were quite young, and (unfortunately for their credibility) their version of events was directly contradicted in print by an adult eyewitness who was a Methodist church officer. The Anderick source may simply be recalling an occasion when the young Prophet attended a church service with his Presbyterian mother and siblings. | + | ===The critics' sources=== |
+ | Three of the primary sources that charge Joseph Smith with joining sectarian churches between 1820 and 1830 were produced in the latter part of the nineteenth century. None of the three are contemporary records; the earliest one was written 50 years after the First Vision took place: | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Lapham: 1870, second-hand==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Fayette Lapham claimed to have interviewed Joseph Smith Sr. in 1829-30, and published a report forty years later. In it, he reported: | ||
+ | |||
+ | : About this time [1822, perhaps as late as 1824] he [Joseph, Jr.] became concerned as to his future state of existence, and was baptized, becoming thus a member of the Baptist Church.{{lapham.1}} | ||
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+ | ====Lewis==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{nw}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Anderick==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{nw}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ====Summary re: critics' sources==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | #The Lapham source is secondhand at best—putting forward information that reportedly came from the Prophet's father. | ||
+ | #The Lewis source presents a scenario that would have been witnessed when the informants were quite young, and (unfortunately for their credibility) their version of events was directly contradicted in print by an adult eyewitness who was a Methodist church officer. | ||
+ | #The Anderick source may simply be recalling an occasion when the young Prophet attended a church service with his Presbyterian mother and siblings. | ||
− | The | + | ==Sources which contradict the critics== |
+ | |||
+ | The eyewitness sources that follow below indicate that up until the time that Joseph Smith announced the existence of the golden plates of the Book of Mormon to his family (23 September 1823) he was not formally attached to any church, but had instead publicly rejected all of them and manifested his desire NOT to join their ranks. Some are contemporaneous, others are later remembrances, but the hostile and friendly voices are clear that he had no denominational affiliation. | ||
===Reminiscence Around 1820=== | ===Reminiscence Around 1820=== | ||
:Pomeroy Tucker (a non-Mormon critic who knew Joseph Smith in Palmyra, New York) said that Joseph joined the Methodist probationary class in Palmyra but soon "withdrew from the class" '''without being converted'''; announcing that "all the churches [were] on a false foundation."{{ref|fn2}} This information corresponds with historical details dated by Joseph Smith at around 1820. | :Pomeroy Tucker (a non-Mormon critic who knew Joseph Smith in Palmyra, New York) said that Joseph joined the Methodist probationary class in Palmyra but soon "withdrew from the class" '''without being converted'''; announcing that "all the churches [were] on a false foundation."{{ref|fn2}} This information corresponds with historical details dated by Joseph Smith at around 1820. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{Main|First Vision/Methodist camp meetings|l1=Joseph Smith and Methodist camp meetings}} | ||
===Reminiscence of Fall 1823=== | ===Reminiscence of Fall 1823=== | ||
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#{{note|fn1}} {{TS1|vol=3|num=9|date=1 March 1842|start=707}} | #{{note|fn1}} {{TS1|vol=3|num=9|date=1 March 1842|start=707}} | ||
+ | <!-- Critics' sources--> | ||
+ | #{{note|lapham.1}} {{CitationSource:BoM Witnesses:Other:Fayette Lapham:1870}} | ||
+ | <!--Against critics--> | ||
#{{note|fn2}}{{TuckerOrigin|start=17|end=18}} | #{{note|fn2}}{{TuckerOrigin|start=17|end=18}} | ||
#{{note|fn3}} {{LucyMackSmith-Stevens1| start=90}} | #{{note|fn3}} {{LucyMackSmith-Stevens1| start=90}} |
==
To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here
====
No critic who has charged Joseph Smith with joining a church between 1820 and 1830 has ever produced any authentic denominational membership record that would substantiate such a claim. Eyewitness reminiscences and contemporary records provide strong evidence that this claim is not valid and, therefore, does not reflect historical reality.
Three of the primary sources that charge Joseph Smith with joining sectarian churches between 1820 and 1830 were produced in the latter part of the nineteenth century. None of the three are contemporary records; the earliest one was written 50 years after the First Vision took place:
Fayette Lapham claimed to have interviewed Joseph Smith Sr. in 1829-30, and published a report forty years later. In it, he reported:
The eyewitness sources that follow below indicate that up until the time that Joseph Smith announced the existence of the golden plates of the Book of Mormon to his family (23 September 1823) he was not formally attached to any church, but had instead publicly rejected all of them and manifested his desire NOT to join their ranks. Some are contemporaneous, others are later remembrances, but the hostile and friendly voices are clear that he had no denominational affiliation.
As can be seen by the continuing chronological sources which follow, Joseph Smith and his associates were teaching from 1825 to 1832 that the Prophet did not belong to any church between the years 1825 and 1827.
== Notes ==
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