Joseph Smith's First Vision

Table of Contents

Joseph Smith's First Vision

Summary: Joseph Smith's claim that he saw the Father and the Son in 1820 has produced a wide variety of criticism. This set of articles addresses the various critical claims related to the First Vision. The linked articles below are designed to help readers to see some of the weaknesses that are found in arguments that are made against Joseph Smith's First Vision accounts. Some of these arguments are currently being advocated in anti-Mormon literature that is handed out near the Sacred Grove in Palmyra, New York.

Jump to Subtopic:

• Criticisms of the First Vision accounts
• Criticisms of events leading up to the First Vision
• Criticisms of events occurring after the First Vision
• Doctrinal issues related to the First Vision
• Primary sources related to Joseph Smith's First Vision

God touched his eyes with his finger and said “[Joseph] this is my beloved Son hear him.” As soon as the Lord had touched his eyes with his finger he immediately saw the Savior. After meeting, a few of us questioned him about the matter and he told us at the bottom of the meeting house steps that he was in the House of Father Smith in Kirtland when Joseph made this declaration, and that Joseph while speaking of it put his finger to his right eye, suiting the action with the words so as to illustrate and at the same time impress the [occurrence] on the minds of those unto whom He was speaking.

—Diary of Charles Lowell Walker (Logan, UT: Utah State University Press, 1980), 2:755–56 [recorded 2 February 1893]

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Criticisms of the First Vision accounts

Jump to Subtopic:

• Joseph Smith's various accounts of the First Vision
• Joseph Smith's 1832 account of the First Vision
• Joseph Smith's 1835 accounts of the First Vision
• Joseph Smith's 1838 account of the First Vision
• Joseph Smith's first and second visitation of angels
• Joseph Smith's 1832 First Vision account states he was 15 years old
• Discrepancies in Paul's account of his vision

Criticisms of events leading up to the First Vision

Jump to Subtopic:

• Joseph Smith and the Methodists
• Lucy Mack Smith and the Presbyterians
• Religious activity in the Palmyra area in 1820
• The Smith family place of residence in 1820

Criticisms of events occurring after the First Vision

Jump to Subtopic:

• Joseph Smith's early knowledge of the nature of God
• Published references to Joseph Smith's First Vision
• Brigham Young and Joseph Smith's First Vision
• John Taylor's understanding of the First Vision
• Did Joseph Smith join other churches contrary to commandment in the First Vision?
• Is there evidence that Joseph or his family were persecuted because of the First Vision?
• Claims that the First Vision was fabricated by Joseph Smith to give him a line of "Godly authority"
• Some Church leaders referred to the personages that appeared in the First Vision as "angels"
• First Vision accounts in Church publications

Doctrinal issues related to the First Vision

Jump to Subtopic:

• Joseph Smith's First Vision and the nature of God

Primary sources related to Joseph Smith's First Vision

Summary: Original text of Joseph's accounts of the First Vision

Jump to Subtopic:

• Joseph Smith's 1832 account of the First Vision
• Joseph Smith's 1835 accounts of the First Vision
• The Erastus Holmes 1835 account of the First Vision
• Orson Pratt's 1840 account of the First Vision
• Joseph Smith's 1842 account of the First Vision
• Joseph Smith's 1842 Wentworth Letter account of the First Vision
• Orson Hyde's 1842 account of the First Vision
• The Pittsburgh Weekly Gazette 1843 account of the First Vision
• Levi Richards' 1843 account of the First Vision
• Daniel Rupp's 1844 account of the First Vision
• Alexander Neibaur's 1844 account of the First Vision
• Charles L. Walker's 1893 account of the First Vision

• "Reported accounts of the First Vision" (Video), The Joseph Smith Papers.