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<!doctype html>
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<head>
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<title>TypingTheTruth</title>
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<h1>TypingTheTruth</h1>
<h4>A Tool for Comparing the Accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision</h4>
<div class="container">
<div class="controls">
<div class="inner">
<label class="purple"><input type="checkbox" id="1" checked>JS History (1832)</input></label>
<label class="blue"><input type="checkbox" id="2" checked>JS, Journal (1835)</input></label>
<label class="green"><input type="checkbox" id="3" checked>JS History (1838)</input></label>
<label class="orange"><input type="checkbox" id="4" checked>Wentworth Letter (1842)</input></label>
<label class="red"><input type="checkbox" id="5" checked>Interesting Account (1840)</input></label>
<label class="brown"><input type="checkbox" id="6" checked>Cry Out of The Wilderness (1842)</input></label>
<label class="lightBlue"><input type="checkbox" id="7" checked>L. Richards, Journal (1843)</input></label>
<label class="yellow"><input type="checkbox" id="8" checked>D. Nye, JS Interview (1843)</input></label>
<label class="pink"><input type="checkbox" id="9" checked>A. Neibaur, Journal (1844)</input></label>
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</div>
<div class="text">
<span class="purple">I was born in the town of Charon [Sharon] in the <State> of Vermont North America on
the twenty third day of December AD 1805 of goodly Parents who spared no pains to instruct<ing> me in
<the> christian religion[.]</span>
<span class="green">I was born in the year of our Lord One thousand Eight hundred and five, on the twenty third
day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor County, State of Vermont.</span>
<span class="orange">I was born in the town of Sharon Windsor co., Vermont, on the 23d of December, A. D. 1805.
</span>
<span class="red">MR JOSEPH SMITH, jun., who made the following important discovery, was born in the town of
Sharon, Windsor county, Vermont, on the 23d of December, A.D. 1805.</span>
<span class="brown">Joseph Smith jun[ior], the person to whom the angel of the Lord was first sent, was born on
December 23 in the year of our Lord 1805 in the town of Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont.</span>
<span class="purple">At the age of about ten years my Father Joseph Smith Seignior moved to Palmyra Ontario County
in the State of New York and being in indigent circumstances were obliged to labour hard for the support of a
large Family having nine chilldren and as it required their exertions of all that were able to render any
assistance for the support of the Family therefore we were deprived of the bennifit of an education suffice it
to say I was mearly instructtid in reading and writing and the ground <rules> of Arithmatic which
const[it]uted my whole literary acquirements.</span>
<span class="green">My father Joseph Smith Senior left the State of Vermont and moved to Palmyra, Ontario, (now
Wayne) County, in the State of New York when I was in my tenth year.</span>
<span class="orange">When ten years old my parents removed to Palmyra New York,</span>
<span class="red">When ten years old, his parents, with their family, moved to Palmyra, New York;</span>
<span class="brown">When he was ten years old, his parents moved to Palmyra in the state of New York.</span>
<span class="green">In about four years after my father’s arrival at Palmyra, he moved with his family into
Manchester in the same County of Ontario. His family consisting of eleven souls, namely, My Father Joseph Smith,
My Mother Lucy Smith whose name previous to her marriage was Mack, daughter of Solomon Mack, my brothers Alvin
(who is now dead) Hyrum, Myself, Samuel Harrison, William, Don Carloss [Carlos], and my Sisters Soph[r]onia,
Cathrine [Katharine] and Lucy.</span>
<span class="orange">where we resided about four years, and from thence we removed to the town of Manchester. My
father was a farmer and taught me the art of husbandry.</span>
<span class="red">in the vicinity of which he resided for about eleven years, the latter part in the town of
Manchester. Cultivating the earth for a livelihood was his occupation, in which he employed the most of his
time. His advantages, for acquiring literary knowledge, were exceedingly small; hence, his education was limited
to a slight acquaintance with two or three of the common branches of learning. He could read without much
difficulty, and write a very imperfect hand; and had a very limited understanding of the ground rules of
arithmetic. These were his highest and only attainments; while the rest of those branches, so universally taught
in the common schools throughout the United States, were entirely unknown to him.</span>
<span class="brown">For almost eleven years he lived here [in Palmyra] and in the neighboring town of Manchester.
His only occupation was to plow and cultivate the soil. Because his parents were poor and had to feed a large
family, his education was meager. He was able to read fairly well, but his ability to write was very limited and
had only little literary knowledge. His knowledge of letters did not go any further. Most of the subjects which
were generally taught in the United States of America were completely unknown to him at the time he was favored
with a heavenly message.</span>
<span class="green">Sometime in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we
lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodist, but soon became general
among all the sects in that region of country, indeed the whole district of Country seemed affected by it and
great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division
among the people, Some Crying, “Lo here” and some Lo there. Some were contending for the Methodist faith, Some
for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist; for notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these
different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great Zeal manifested by the respective
Clergy who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling in order to
have every body converted as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased[.] Yet when the
Converts began to file off some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings
of both the Priests and the Converts were mere pretence more pretended than real, for a scene of great confusion
and bad feeling ensued; Priest contending against priest, and convert against convert so that all their good
feelings one for another (if they ever had any) were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about
opinions.
I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My Fathers family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith and four of
them joined that Church, Namely, My Mother Lucy, My Brothers Hyrum, Samuel Harrison, and my Sister
Sophonia.</span>
<span class="purple">At about the age of twelve years my mind become seriously imprest with regard to the all
importent concerns of for the wellfare of my immortal Soul</span>
<span class="blue">Being wrought up in my mind 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, but considered it of the first
importance to me that I should be aright right, in matters of so much moment, matter involving eternal
consequences</span>
<span class="green">During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great
uneasiness, but though my feelings were deep and often pungent, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties
though I attended their several meetings as occasion would permit. But in process of time my mind became
somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them, but so great was the
confusion and strife amongst the different denominations that it was impossible for a person young as I was and
so unacquainted with men and things to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.
My mind at different times was greatly excited for the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The
Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all their powers of either reason
or sophistry to prove their errors, or at least to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand
the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally Zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and
disprove all others.
In the midst of this war of words, and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself, what is to be done? Who of
all these parties are right? Or are they all wrong together? and if any one of them be right which is it? And
how shall I know it?</span>
<span class="orange">When about fourteen years of age I began to reflect upon the importance of being prepared for
a future state, and upon enquiring the plan of salvation I found that there was a great clash in religious
sentiment; if I went to one society they referred me to one plan, and another to another; each one pointing to
his own 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</span>
<span class="red">When somewhere about fourteen or fifteen years old, he began seriously to reflect upon the
necessity of being prepared for a future state of existence: but how, or in what way, to prepare himself, was a
question, as yet, undetermined in his own mind: he perceived that it was a question of infinite importance, and
that the salvation of his soul depended upon a correct understanding of the same. He saw, that if he understood
not the way, it would be impossible to walk in it, except by chance; and the thought of resting his hopes of
eternal life upon chance, or uncertainties, was more than he could endure. If he went to the religious
denominations to seek information, each one pointed to its particular tenets, saying—“This is the way, walk ye
in it;” while, at the same time, the doctrines of each were, in many respects, in direct opposition to one
another. It, also, occurred to his mind, that God was not the author of but one doctrine, and therefore could
not acknowledge but one denomination as his church; and that such denomination must be a people, who believe,
and teach, that one doctrine, (whatever it may be,) and build upon the same. He then reflected upon the immense
number of doctrines, now, in the world, which had given rise to many hundreds of different denominations. The
great question to be decided in his mind, was—if any one of these denominations be the Church of Christ, which
one is it? Until he could become satisfied, in relation to this question, he could not rest contented. To trust
to the decisions of fallible man, and build his hopes upon the same, without any certainty, and knowledge, of
his own, would not satisfy the anxious desires that pervaded his breast. To decide, without any positive and
definite evidence, on which he could rely, upon a subject involving the future welfare of his soul, was
revolting to his feelings.</span>
<span class="brown">When he had reached his fifteenth year, he began to think seriously about the importance of
preparing for a future [existence]; but it was very difficult for him to decide how he should go about such an
important undertaking. He recognized clearly that it would be impossible for him to walk the proper path without
being acquainted with it beforehand; and to base his hopes for eternal life on chance or blind uncertainty would
have been more than he had ever been inclined to do.
He discovered the world of religion working under a flood of errors which by virtue of their contradictory
opinions and principles laid the foundation for the rise of such different sects and denominations whose
feelings toward each other all too often were poisoned by hate, contention, resentment and anger. He felt that
there was only one truth and that those who understood it correctly, all understood it in the same way. Nature
had endowed him with a keen critical intellect and so he looked through the lens of reason and common sense and
with pity and contempt upon those systems of religion, which were so opposed to each other and yet were all
obviously based on the scriptures.
After he had sufficiently convinced himself to his own satisfaction that darkness covered the earth and gross
darkness [covered] the nations, the hope of ever finding a sect or denomination that was in possession of
unadulterated truth left him.</span>
<span class="lightBlue">Pres. J. Smith bore testimony to the same— saying that when he was a youth he began to
think about these these things but could not find out which of all the sects were right</span>
<span class="yellow">The Lord does reveal himself to me. I know it. He revealed himself to me first when I was
about fourteen years old, a mere boy. I will tell you about it. There was a reformation among the different
religious denominations in the neighborhood where I lived, and I became serious, and was desirous to know what
Church to join.</span>
<span class="pink">Br Joseph tolt us the first call he had a Revival Meeting his Mother & Br & Sister got
Religion, he wanted to get Religion too wanted to feel & shout like the Rest but could feel nothing,</span>
<span class="purple">which led me to searching the scriptures believeing as I was taught, that they contained the
word of God thus applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of differant denominations led
me to marvel excedingly for I discovered that <they did not adorn> instead of adorning their profession by
a holy walk and Godly conversation agreeable to what I found contained in that sacred depository this was a
grief to my Soul thus from the age of twelve years to fifteen I pondered many things in my heart concerning the
sittuation of the world of mankind the contentions and divi[si]ons the wicke[d]ness and abominations and the
darkness which pervaded the of the minds of mankind my mind become excedingly distressed for I become convicted
of my sins and by searching the scriptures I found that mand <mankind> did not come unto the Lord but that
they had apostatised from the true and liveing faith and there was no society or denomination that built upon
the gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the new testament and I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins
of the world for I learned in the scriptures that God was the same yesterday to day and forever that he was no
respecter to persons for he was God for I looked upon the sun the glorious luminary of the earth and also the
moon rolling in their magesty through the heavens and also the stars shining in their courses and the earth also
upon which I stood and the beast of the field and the fowls of heaven and the fish of the waters and also man
walking forth upon the face of the earth in magesty and in the strength of beauty whose power and intiligence in
governing the things which are so exceding great and marvilous even in the likeness of him who created him
<them> and when I considered upon these things my heart exclaimed well hath the wise man said the <it
is a> fool <that> saith in his heart there is no God my heart exclaimed all all these bear testimony
and bespeak an omnipotant and omnipreasant power a being who makith Laws and decreeeth and bindeth all things in
their bounds who filleth Eternity who was and is and will be from all Eternity to Eternity and when <I>
considered all these things and that <that> being seeketh such to worshep him as worship him in spirit and
in truth</span>
<span class="orange">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.</span>
<span class="red">The only alternative, that seemed to be left him, was to read the Scriptures, and endeavour to
follow their directions. He, accordingly, commenced perusing the sacred pages of the Bible, with sincerity,
believing the things that he read.</span>
<span class="brown">Consequently he began in an attitude of faith his own investigation of the word of God
[feeling that it was] the best way to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.</span>
<span class="green">While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of
religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, First Chapter and fifth verse which reads, “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.[”] Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man that this did at this time
to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again,
knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did, for how to act I did not know and unless I could get
more wisdom than I then had [I] would never know, for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood
the same passage of Scripture so differently as <to> destroy all confidence in settling the question by an
appeal to the Bible. At length I came to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion or
else I must do as James directs, that is, Ask of God. I at last came to the determination to ask of God,
concluding that if he gave wisdom to them that lacked wisdom, and would give liberally and not upbraid, I might
venture.</span>
<span class="orange">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,”</span>
<span class="red">His mind soon caught hold of the following passage:—“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.”—James i. 5. From this
promise he learned, that it was the privilege of all men to ask God for wisdom, with the sure and certain
expectation of receiving, liberally; without being upbraided for so doing. This was cheering information to him:
tidings that gave him great joy. It was like a light shining forth in a dark place, to guide him to the path in
which he should walk. He, now, saw that if he inquired of God, there was, not only, a possibility, but a
probability; yea, more, a certainty, that he should [p. 4] obtain a knowledge, which, of all the doctrines, was
the doctrine of Christ; and, which, of all the churches, was the church of Christ.</span>
<span class="brown">He had not proceeded very far in this laudable endeavor when his eyes fell upon the following
verse of St. James [1:5]: “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.” He considered this scripture an authorization for him to solemnly
call upon his creator to present his needs before him with the certain expectation of some success.</span>
<span class="yellow">While thinking of this matter, I opened the Testament promiscuously on these words, in James,
‘Ask of the Lord who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.’ I just determined I’d ask him. </span>
<span class="pink">opened his Bible the first Passage that struck him was if any man lack Wisdom let him ask of
God who giveth to all Men liberallity & upbraidet not</span>
<span class="brown">And so he began to pour out to the Lord with fervent determination the earnest desires of his
soul.</span>
<span class="purple">therefore I cried unto the Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom I could go and to
obtain mercy </span>
<span class="green">So in accordance with this my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the
attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful clear day early in the spring of Eightteen hundred and twenty.9 It
was the first time in my life that I had <made> such an attempt, for amidst all <my> anxieties I had
never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.
After I had retired into the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me and finding
myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God,</span>
<span class="blue">Being thus perplexed in mind I retired to the silent grove. and there bowed down before the
Lord, under a realizing sense, (if the bible be true) ask and you shall receive, knock and it shall be opened,
seek and you shall find, and again, if any man lack wisdom, let [him ask] of God who giveth to all men liberally
& upbraideth not. Information was what I most desired, at this time. And with a fixed determination to obtain
it, I called on the Lord for the first time in the place above stated, or in other words, I made a fruitless
attempt to pray</span>
<span class="orange">I retired to a secret place in a grove and began to call upon the Lord,</span>
<span class="red">He, therefore, retired to a secret place, in a grove, but a short distance from his father’s
house, and knelt down, and began to call upon the Lord. </span>
<span class="brown">On one occasion, he went to a small grove of trees near his father’s home and knelt down
before God in solemn prayer.</span>
<span class="lightBlue">— he went into the grove</span>
<span class="yellow">I immediately went out into the woods where my father had a clearing, and went to the stump
where I had stuck my axe when I had quit work, and I kneeled down,</span>
<span class="pink">went into the Wood to pray kneelt himself down</span>
<span class="blue">My tongue seemed to be swoolen in my mouth, so that I could not utter. I heard a noise behind
me like some one walking towards me: I strove again to pray, but could not; the noise of walking seemed to draw
nearer; I sprang upon my feet and looked round, but saw no person, or thing that was calculated to produce the
noise of walking.</span>
<span class="green">I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was <siezed> upon by some power which
entirely overcame me and <had> such astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not
speak. Thick darkness gathered around me and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden
destruction. But exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had
siezed upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction,
not to an imaginary ruin but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world who had such a marvelous
power as I had never before felt in any being. Just at this moment of great alarm</span>
<span class="red">At first, he was severely tempted by the powers of darkness, which endeavoured to overcome him;
</span>
<span class="brown">The adversary then made several strenuous efforts to cool his ardent soul. He filled his mind
with doubts and brought to mind all manner of inappropriate images to prevent him from obtaining the object of
his endeavors;</span>
<span class="pink">his tongue was closet cleavet to his roof— could utter not a word,</span>
<span class="blue">I kneeled again, my mouth was opened and my tongue loosed;</span>
<span class="red">but he continued to seek for deliverance, until darkness gave way from his mind;</span>
<span class="brown">but the overflowing mercy of God came to buoy him up and gave new impetus to his failing
strength. However, the dark cloud soon parted and light and peace filled his frightened heart.</span>
<span class="pink">felt easier after a while=</span>
<span class="purple">and the Lord heard my cry in the wilderness and while in <the> attitude of calling upon
the Lord <in the 16th year of my age></span>
<span class="blue">I called on the Lord in mighty prayer.</span>
<span class="orange">while fervently engaged in supplication</span>
<span class="red">and he was enabled to pray, in fervency of the spirit, and in faith. And, while thus pouring out
his soul, anxiously desiring an answer from God,</span>
<span class="brown">Once again he called upon the Lord with faith and fervency of spirit.</span>
<span class="lightBlue">& enquired of the Lord which of all the sects were right</span>
<span class="yellow">and prayed, saying, ‘O Lord, what Church shall I join.’</span>
<span class="purple">a piller of fire light above the brightness of the sun at noon day come down from
above</span>
<span class="blue">A pillar of fire appeared above my head;</span>
<span class="green">I saw a pillar <of> light exactly over my head above the brightness of the sun, which
descended gracefully gradually untill it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from
the enemy which held me bound.</span>
<span class="red">he, at length, saw a very bright and glorious light in the heavens above; which, at first,
seemed to be at a considerable distance. He continued praying, while the light appeared to be gradually
descending towards him; and, as it drew nearer, it increased in brightness, and magnitude, so that, by the time
that it reached the tops of the trees, the whole wilderness, for some distance around, was illuminated in a most
glorious and brilliant manner. He expected to have seen the leaves and boughs of the trees consumed, as soon as
the light came in contact with them; but, perceiving that it did not produce that effect, he was encouraged with
the hopes of being able to endure its presence. It continued descending, slowly, until it rested upon the earth,
and he was enveloped in the midst of it. When it first came upon him, it produced a peculiar sensation
throughout his whole system; and, immediately,</span>
<span class="yellow">Directly I saw a light,</span>
<span class="pink">saw a fire towards heaven came near</span>
<span class="purple">and rested upon me</span>
<span class="blue">which presently rested down upon me, and filled me with unspeakable joy.</span>
<span class="green">When the light rested upon me</span>
<span class="purple">and I was filled with the spirit of god and the <Lord> opened the heavens upon
me</span>
<span class="orange">my mind was taken away from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped in a
heavenly vision</span>
<span class="red">his mind was caught away, from the natural objects with which he was surrounded; and he was
enwrapped in a heavenly vision,</span>
<span class="brown">At this sacred moment, the natural world around him was excluded from his view, so that he
would be open to the presentation of heavenly and spiritual things.</span>
<span class="purple">and I saw the Lord</span>
<span class="blue">A personage appeared in the midst of this pillar of flame, which was spread all around and yet
nothing consumed. Another personage soon appeared like unto the first:</span>
<span class="green">I saw two personages (whose brightness and glory defy all description) standing above me in
the air.</span>
<span class="orange">and 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.</span>
<span class="red">and saw two glorious personages, who exactly resembled each other in their features or
likeness.</span>
<span class="brown">Two glorious heavenly personages stood before him, resembling each other exactly in features
and stature.</span>
<span class="yellow">and then a glorious personage in the light, and then another personage,ord 1805 in the town
of Sharon, Windsor County, Vermont.</span>
<span class="pink">& nearer saw a personage in the fire light complexion blue eyes a piece of white cloth drawn
over his shoulders his right arm bear after a w[h]ile a other person came to the side of the first</span>
<span class="purple">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</span>
<span class="blue">he said unto me thy sins are forgiven thee. He testified also unto me that Jesus Christ is the
son of God.</span>
<span class="green">One of <them> spake unto me calling me by name and said (pointing to the other) “This is
my beloved Son, Hear him.”</span>
<span class="red">He was informed, that his sins were forgiven.</span>
<span class="brown">They told him that his prayers had been answered and that the Lord had decided to grant him a
special blessing.</span>
<span class="yellow">and the first personage said to the second, “Behold my beloved Son, hear him.”</span>
<span class="green">My object in going to enquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I
might know which to join. No sooner therefore did I get possession of myself so as to be able to speak, than I
asked the personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right, (for at this time it had
never entered into my heart that all were wrong) and which I should join.</span>
<span class="green">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 to 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.” He again forbade
me to join with any of them</span>
<span class="orange">They told me that all 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,”</span>
<span class="red">He was also informed upon the subjects, which had for some time previously agitated his mind,
viz.—that all the religious denominations were believing in incorrect doctrines; and, consequently, that none of
them was acknowledged of God, as his church and kingdom. And he was expressly commanded, to go not after
them;</span>
<span class="brown">He was also told that he should not join any of the religious sects or denominations, because
all of them erred in doctrine and none was recognized by God as his church and kingdom.</span>
<span class="lightBlue">—re received for answer that none of them were right, that they were all wrong, & that the
Everlasting covena[n]t was broken=</span>
<span class="yellow">I then, addressed this second person, saying, “O Lord, what Church shall I join.” He replied,
“don’t join any of them, they are all corrupt.”</span>
<span class="pink">Mr Smith then asked must I join the Methodist Church= No= they are not my People, th all have
gone astray there is none that doeth good no not one, but this is my Beloved son harken ye him, the fire drew
nigher</span>
<span class="green">and many other thing[s] did he say unto me which I cannot write at this time.</span>
<span class="orange">at the same time receiving a promise that the fulness of the gospel should at some future
time be made known unto me.</span>
<span class="red">and he received a promise that the true doctrine—the fulness of the gospel, should, at some
future time, be made known to him;</span>
<span class="brown">He was further commanded, to wait patiently until some future time, when the true doctrine of
Christ and the complete truth of the gospel would be revealed to him.</span>
<span class="purple">and my soul was filled with love and for many days I could rejoice with great Joy and the
Lord was with me</span>
<span class="blue">I saw many angels in this vision. I was about 14 years old when I received this first
communication.</span>
<span class="green">When I came to myself again I found myself lying on <my> back looking up into
Heaven.</span>
<span class="red">after which, the vision withdrew, leaving his mind in a state of calmness and peace,
indescribable.</span>
<span class="brown">The vision closed and peace and calm filled his mind.</span>
<span class="yellow">The vision then vanished, and when I come to myself, I was sprawling on my back; and it was
sometime before my strength returned.</span>
<span class="pink">Rested upon the tree enveloped him [illegible] comforted Indeavoured to arise but felt uncomen
feeble=</span>
<span class="green">Some few days after I had this vision I happened to be in company with one of the Methodist
Preachers who was very active in the before mentioned religious excitement and conversing with him on the
subject of religion I took occasion to give him an account of the vision which I had had.</span>
<span class="yellow">When I went home and told the people that I had a revelation, and that all the churches were
corrupt,</span>
<span class="pink">got into the house told the Methodist priest,</span>
<span class="green">I was greatly surprised at his behaviour, he treated my communication not only lightly but
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.
I soon found however that my telling the story had excited a great deal of prejudice against me among professors
of religion and was the cause of great persecution which continued to increase and though I was an obscure boy
only between fourteen and fifteen years of age and my circumstances in life such as to make a boy of no
consequence in the world, Yet men of high standing would take notice sufficiently to excite the public mind
against me and create a hot persecution, and this was common <among> all the sects: all united to
persecute me. It has often caused me serious reflection both then and since, how very strange it was that an
obscure boy of a little over fourteen years of age and one too who was doomed to the necessity of obtaining a
scanty maintainance by his daily labor should be thought a character of sufficient importance to attract the
attention of the great ones of the most popular sects of the day so as to create in them a spirit of the
bitterest persecution and reviling. But strange or not, so it was, and was often cause of great sorrow to
myself. However it was nevertheless a fact, that I had had a Vision. I have thought since that I felt much like
as Paul did when he made his defence before King Aggrippa and related the account of the Vision he had when the
saw a light and heard a voice, but still there were but few who beleived him, some said he was dishonest, others
said he was mad, and he was ridiculed and reviled, But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He
had seen a vision he knew he had, and <all> the persecution under Heaven could not make it otherwise, and
though they should persecute him unto death Yet he knew and would know to his latest breath that he had both
seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him and all the world could not make him think or believe
otherwise. So it was with me, I had actualy seen a light and in the midst of that light I saw two personages,
and they did in reality speak <un>to me, or one of them did, And though I was hated and persecuted for
saying that I had seen a vision, Yet it was true and while they were persecuting me reviling me and speaking all
manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart, why persecute for telling the
truth? I have actually seen a vision, “and who am I that I can withstand God” Or why does the world think to
make me deny what I have actually seen,</span>
<span class="purple">but could find none that would believe the hevnly vision</span>
<span class="yellow">they persecuted me, and they have persecuted me ever since. They thought to put me down, but
they hav’nt succeeded, and they can’t do it.</span>
<span class="pink">said this was not a age for God to Reveal himself in Vision Revelation has ◊ ceased with the
New Testament</span>
<span class="purple">nevertheless I pondered these things in my heart</span>
<span class="green">for I had seen a vision, I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it,
neither dare I do it, at least I knew that by so doing <I> would offend God and come under condemnation.
I had now got my mind satisfied so far as the sectarian world was concerned, that it was not my duty to join
with any of them, but continue as I was untill further directed, for I had found the testimony of James to be
true, that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain and not be upbraided. I continued to pursue my
common avocations in life untill the twenty first of September, One thousand Eight hundred and twenty three, all
the time suffering severe persecution at the hand of all classes of men, both religious and irreligious because
I continued to affirm that I <had> seen a Vision.</span>
<span class="lightBlue">he said he understoood the fulness of the Gospel from beginning to end— & could Teach it &
also the order of the priesthood in all its ramifications= Earth & hell had opposed him & tryed to destroy him—
but they had not done it= & they <never would></span>
<span class="yellow">When I have proved that I am right, and get all the world subdued under me, I think I shall
deserve something.</span>
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