View source for Question: When and how often did Brigham Young refer to elements of Joseph Smith's First Vision in his discourses?

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==Question: When and how often did Brigham Young refer to elements of Joseph Smith's First Vision in his discourses?==
===It cannot be denied that Brigham Young was aware of the official version of the First Vision as published by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois===

It has been claimed that "Brigham Young never once mentioned the First Vision of God the Father and his Son in his 30 years of preaching as President of the Church." Note that the ''same critics'' also ''claim that Brigham Young taught only that an angel came: a strange claim to make while insisting that Brigham never spoke of the First Vision at all.'' 
{{SeeAlso|Brigham Young said the Lord didn't appear}}

It cannot be denied that Brigham Young was aware of the official version of the First Vision as published by Joseph Smith in Nauvoo, Illinois. And it is almost beyond comprehension to believe that President Young was not aware of numerous First Vision story recitals (both in print and over the pulpit) by high Church authorities such as Orson Pratt, Lorenzo Snow, John E. Page, George Q. Cannon, Orson Hyde, John Taylor, Franklin D. Richards, and George A. Smith.

===First Vision elements and other revelatory claims for Joseph in Brigham Young's addresses===

* JS called at fourteen<ref>{{JDmini|vol=8|pages=353-4|date=3 March 1861}}; {{JDmini|vol=12|pages=67-8|date=June 23rd, 1867}}</ref>
* JS called as a youth<ref>{{JDmini|vol=2|pages=171|date=Feb 18, 1855}}; {{JDmini|vol=7|pages=243|date=September 1, 1859}}; {{JDmini|vol=11|pages=253|date=17 June 1866}} </ref>  
* Revival or Reformation<ref>{{JDmini|vol=12|pages=67-8|date=June 23rd, 1867}}</ref>
* All churches wrong; Don’t join any church<ref>{{JDmini|vol=2|pages=171|date=Feb 18, 1855}}; {{JDmini|vol=12|pages=67-8|date=June 23rd, 1867}}</ref>
* Two personages<ref>{{JDmini|vol=18|pages=231|date=17 September 1876}}</ref>
* Moroni and Book of Mormon<ref>{{JDmini|vol=1|pages=185-19|date=14 March 1860}} {{JDmini|vol=8|pages=15-6|date=3 June 1860}} {{JDmini|vol=8|pages=66|date=3 March 1861}}{{JDmini|vol=8|pages=353-4|date=6 April 1861}} {{JDmini|vol=9|pages=1|date=4 June 1864}} {{JDmini|vol=10|pages=303|date=13 November 1864}}  {{JDmini|vol=10|pages=363-365|date=June 23rd, 1867}} {{JDmini|vol=12|pages=67-8}}; Deseret News Weekly 22 (June 29, 1873):388, in {{Book:Watson:Brigham Young Addresses|pages=79|vol=6}} (21 June 1874); {{JDmini|vol=18|pages=239-40}}</ref>
* Priesthood restored<ref>Manuscript History of Brigham Young (June 25, 1845); Manuscript History of Brigham Young (June 17, 1847); {{WWJ|date=15 August 1847}}; {{JDmini|vol=1|pages=7|date=April 6, 1853}}  [={{MS|vol=15|pages=489, 491|date=24 July 1853}}]; {{JDmini|vol=1|pages=233-245|date=April 6, 1853}}; Letter to Freeport, Ill., ''Bulletin'', 1 June 1854, reprinted in ''New York Times'' June 7, 1854; (4 June 1864) {{JDmini|vol=10|pages=303|date=June 18, 1865}}; {{JDmini|vol=11|pages=126|date=June 23, 1867}}; {{JDmini|vol=12|pages=67-8|date=July 17, 1870}}; {{JDmini|vol=13|pages=216|date=April 8, 1871}}; ''Deseret News'' 20/10  (April 12, 1871): 112; {{JDmini|vol=14|pages=95|date=18 May 1873}}; {{JDmini|vol=16|pages=42}}; ''Deseret News Weekly'' 22 (29 June 1873):388, in {{Book:Watson:Brigham Young Addresses|pages=79|vol=6}}  (21 June 1874); {{JDmini|vol=18|pages=239-40|date=21 May 1877}} ''Deseret News Weekly'' 26:274-275; {{Book:Watson:Brigham Young Addresses|pages=142|vol=6}} </ref>

===Chronological mentions of First Vision and other visitations by Brigham Young===
This charge is not historically accurate. It can be plainly seen in the information provided below that Brigham Young was aware of the First Vision story during his tenure as President of the Church and not only shared it with non-Mormons in written form but also spoke to the Saints about it over the pulpit. 

====1832====

* Brigham Young September 1832, declared that he “received the sure testimony, by the spirit of prophecy, that he [Joseph Smith] was all that any man could believe him to be, as a true Prophet.”<ref>''Manuscript History of Brigham Young'', ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City, 1968), 4 [Leland Nelson, 4]</ref>

====1835–36====
*Around 9 August 1835 Joseph Young (Brigham Young’s brother) was serving as a missionary with Burr Riggs and they were teaching the First Vision story.<ref>See {{YWJ|vol=18|num=12|date=December 1907|start=537|end=539}}; Samuel W. Richards, Journal Book 2 of Travels To Nauvoo, BYU Special Collections, Writings of Early Latter-day Saints, 26; {{LDSBioEncy1|vol=1|start=187}}</ref> In the Summer of 1836 Joseph Young and Brigham Young were serving together as missionaries.<ref>{{LDSBioEncy1|vol=1|start=115}}</ref>

====1838====
* Brigham Young, 22 December 1838:
::I left Kirtland in consequence of the fury of the mob … who threatened to destroy me because I would proclaim, publicly and privately, that I knew, by the power of the Holy Ghost, that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of the Most High God.<ref>Manuscript History of Brigham Young, ed. Elden Jay Watson (Salt Lake City, 1968), p pp. 23-24 [Leland Nelson, 13].</ref>

====1841====

* “On the 4th June I started for home, in company with Elders Young and Taylor.—Elder O. Pratt remained in New York to republish the book he had printed in Edinburgh, Scotland, giving a history of the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and of which he intended to publish 5,000 copies…. [78] Elder Orson Pratt arrived here this week…”<ref>Heber C. Kimball, letter to ''Millennial Star'' editor, Nauvoo, July 15, 1841:  {{MS|vol=2|pages=77-78|date=15 July 1841}} This must refer to ''Remarkable Visions'' (Orson Pratt's account of Joseph's first vision and other revelations); nothing else had published by him yet.</ref>

====1845====

* Brigham Young, June 25, 1845:  we received the priesthood from God through Joseph Smith…. The Twelve Apostles who received the priesthood from Joseph<ref>Manuscript History of Brigham Young, ed. Leland Nelson, 94</ref>

====1847====
* Brigham Young, {{s||D&C|136|37}} (January 14, 1847): … Joseph Smith, whom I did call upon by mine angels, my ministering servants, and by mine own voice out of the heavens, to bring forth my work.<ref>Manuscript History of Brigham Young, William Harwell, 14; {{MS|vol=14|num=10|date=1 May 1852|pages=151}}</ref>
* Brigham Young, January 17, 1847: Dr. Richards read ‘The Word and Will of the Lord’ [{{s||D&C|136||}}] and all present voted unanimously to receive it.  I addressed the assembly showing that the Church had been led by revelation just as much since the death of Joseph Smith as before, and that he was as great and good a man, and as great a Prophet as ever lived upon the earth, Jesus excepted.  Joseph received his apostleship from Peter and his brethren<ref>Manuscript History of Brigham Young, 16.</ref>
* Brigham Young 

:When Brother Joseph received the priesthood he did not receive all at once but he was a prophet, seer and revelator before he received the fullness of the priesthood and keys of the kingdom. He first received the Aaronic Priesthood and was ordained under the hands of John the Baptist. He then had not power to lay on hands to confirm the church but afterwards he received the Patriarchal or Melchizedek Priesthood from under the hands of Peter, James and John, who were of the Twelve apostles and were the presidency when the other apostles were absent.<ref>{{WWJ|date=15 August 1847|pages=319-320|vol={{NC}}}}</ref>

====1848====
* Brigham Young wrote, late December 1848: “Elder Orson Pratt published a series of pamphlets on the first principles, viz., Divine Authority, or the Question, Was Joseph Smith Sent of God…. Kingdom of God parts 1 & 2…. Also reprinted his pamphlet entitled Remarkable Visions 16 pages… All of which were published in Liverpool, England”....<ref>''Manuscript History of Brigham Young.  1847-1850'', edited by William S. Harwell (Salt Lake City, Utah: Collier’s Publishing Co., 1997): 139</ref>

====1850====
*  Brigham Young, June 23, 1850, Bowery:  “[sin and darkness] makes it necessary for the Lord to speak from the heavens, send his angels to converse with men, and cause his servants to testify of the things of God”<ref>''Deseret News'' 1/3 (29 June 1850) [following sermon by Reverend G.B. Day]</ref>

*On 1 November 1850 Lorenzo Snow wrote a letter to Brigham Young and informed him that he had produced a tract called ''The Voice of Joseph'' which included information on “visions of Joseph Smith.” This tract talks about the Prophet’s First Vision experience. <ref>Lorenzo Snow, ''The Italian Mission'' (London: W. Aubrey, 1851), 13; also in {{BioLS|start=127|end=128}}</ref>

====1853====
* Brigham Young 19 June 1853:
::All persons who are acquainted with this kingdom, who knew Joseph Smith from his boyhood, from the time the Lord revealed to him where the plates containing the matter in the Book of Mormon were deposited, from the time the first revelation was given to him, and as far back as he was known, in anywise whatever, as a person professing to have received a visitation from heaven—all must know that as much priestcraft as was then within the circle of the knowledge of Joseph Smith, jun., he had to bear on his back, and to lift from time to time. On the other hand, as his name spread abroad, and the principles of the Gospel began to be more extensively taught, in the same proportion he had more to bear. The Lord began to raise him up, and endow him with wisdom and power that astonished both his friends and his foes.<ref> {{JDmini|vol=1|pages=185-191|date=19 June 1853}}</ref>
* Brigham Young 24 July 1853:
::the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet of the Lord, that an angel from heaven administered to him, that the Latter-day Saints have got the true Gospel, that John the Baptist came to Joseph Smith and committed to him the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood; and that Peter, James, and John also came to him, and gave him the keys of the Melchisedek Priesthood....<ref>{{JDmini|date=24 July 1853|vol=1|num=233-245}}</ref>

====1854====
* The Lucy Mack Smith autobiography called ''Biographical Sketches'' became available in Utah. Since Brigham Young protested vigorously against some of this book’s content he was more than likely aware of the 1838 Church history First Vision material printed within it. <ref>{{Biosketch1|start=75}}; {{LucyMackSmith-Proctor1| start=editor's introduction }}</ref>
* Brigham Young, March 31, 1854:
::“….After the administration of baptism, we believe in laying hands upon the candidate for his confirmation as a member of the Church, and for his reception of the Holy Ghost; and we believe that these, and all other ordinances pertaining to salvation, should be administered by persons actually clothed with the priesthood, as again restored to the earth through the ministration of angels to the Prophet JOSEPH SMITH…. Trusting that this reply, though brief, will be satisfactory on the points of your inquiry” I remain, respectfully, your obedient servant, BRIGHAM YOUNG, <ref>Letter to MR. HENRY A. MCAFEE, Freeport, Stephenson Co., Ill; letter to editor of the Freeport, Illinois ''Bulletin'' June 1, 1854.  Reprinted ''New York Times'' (7 June 1854), 3.</ref>

====1855====
* Brigham Young, (Feb 18, 1855): 

::But as it was in the days of our Savior, so was it in the advent of this new dispensation.  It was not in accordance with the notions, traditions, and pre-conceived ideas of the American people.  The messenger did not come to an eminent divine of any of the so-called orthodoxy, he did not adopt their interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.  The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven, in power and great glory, nor send His messengers panoplied with aught else than the truth of heaven, to communicate to the meek, the lowly, the youth of humble origin, the sincere enquirer after the knowlege [knowledge] of God.  But He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong; that they were following the precepts of men instead of the Lord Jesus; that He had a work for him to perform, inasmuch as he should prove faithful before Him.  No sooner was this made known, and published abroad, and people began to listen and obey the heavenly summons, than opposition began to rage, and the people, even in this favored land, began to persecute their neighbors and friends for entertaining religious opinions differing from their own.<ref>{{JDmini|vol=2|pages=171|date=18 Feb 1855}}</ref>

* [NOTE:  compare the above with this by George Q. Cannon in 1889:  

::“But you may ask, ‘How shall I know concerning this?  Shall I expect the Lord Himself to come, or His Son Jesus, or send a holy angel to me?’  In reply, we say, No; do not look for such things.  This is not the Lord’s way of dealing with His children.  It is true, the Father and the Son and angels visited the Prophet Joseph.  This was necessary.  He was a chosen instrument to accomplish a great work, and to do this he was visited in this manner, so that through him knowledge that had long been lost might be restored”<ref>George Q. Cannon, editorial, “The Testimony of the Gospel,” ''Juvenile Instructor'' 24 (1 July 1889): 308-9. </ref>  (308b)

====1857====
:On 13 August 1857 Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Daniel H. Wells, John Taylor, Willard Richards, and Wilford Woodruff placed several publications in the southeast cornerstone of the Salt Lake Temple that contained First Vision accounts. They were:
:*''The Pearl of Great Price'' 
:*Lorenzo Snow, ''The Voice of Joseph''
:*Orson Pratt, (various tracts)
:*Franklin D. Richards, ''Compendium''
:*John Jaques, ''Catechism for Children''
:*''Millennial Star'', vol. 14 supplement
:*''Millennial Star'', vol. 3<ref>Brigham Young Journal, 13 August 1857, LDS Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah; {{WWJ|vol=5|pages=76-77}}</ref>

====1858====
*On 20 January 1858 apostles Wilford Woodruff and George A. Smith appended a statement to the published Church history stating that “since the death of the Prophet Joseph, the history has been carefully revised under the strict inspection of President Brigham Young, and approved of by him.” This history contains the 1838 First Vision account.<ref>''Deseret News'', 7/46 (20 January 1858): 363.</ref>

====1859====
*In the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City on 1 September 1859 Brigham Young referred to Joseph Smith’s published 1838 First Vision account. He asked, “[H]ave I yet lived to the state of perfection that I can commune in person with the Father and the Son at my will and pleasure? No . . . . [three sentences later] Joseph Smith in his youth had revelations from God. He saw and understood for himself. Are you acquainted with his life? '''You can read the history of it'''. I was acquainted with him during many years. He had heavenly visions; angels administered to him. The vision of his mind was opened to see and understand heavenly things. He revealed the will of the Lord to the people, and yet but few were really acquainted with brother Joseph.” <ref>{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=7|disc=37|start=243|end=244, {{ea}}}}</ref>

====1860====
* Brigham Young 3 June 1860 

::The Lord has led this people from the beginning. From the day that Joseph obtained the plates, and previous to that time, the Lord dictated him. He directed him day by day and hour by hour.<ref>{{JDmini|vol=8|pages=66|date=3 June 1860}}</ref>

====1861====
* In the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City on 3 March 1861 Brigham Young said: “The Lord chose Joseph Smith, called upon him at fourteen years of age, gave him visions, and led him along, guided and directed him in his obscurity until he brought forth the plates and translated them, and Martin Harris was prevailed upon to sustain the printing of the Book of Mormon. All this was done in the depths of poverty, obscurity, and weakness."<ref>{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=8|start=354|disc=86}}</ref>
* Brigham Young 6 April 1861:

::The Book of Mormon was translated near where we [BY and HCK] then resided, as we might say, in our own neighbourhood. It was translated about as far from where brother Kimball then lived as it is from here to Little Cottonwood; and where Joseph first discovered the plates was about as far from where I then lived as it is from here to Provo. Here we would have considered the discoverer of those plates and the translator of the Book of Mormon as [p.2] one of our neighbours. We are in the habit here of travelling more frequently and further than we were there. From the time that Joseph had his first revelation, in the neighbourhood where brother Kimball and I then lived, appears but a few days. Since then this people have passed through, experienced, and learned a great deal.<ref>{{JDmini|vol=9|pages=1-2|date=6 April 1861}}</ref>
* Brigham Young, April 7, 1861:

::We are not able to print a book for want of paper. Now we are prepared to go to work and make our own paper. As I have remarked, we have most excellent machinery; we also have good paper-makers; and what hinders our making the best of paper, and all the paper we want to use? Then we can print, in book form, the History of Joseph Smith, and do it in a respectable manner. Then we can print the Church History for ourselves and for the world, and every book we need.<ref>''Deseret News'' 11/13 (29 May 1861): 97-8; Reprinted in {{JDmini|vol=9|pages=31-40|date=7 April 1961}}</ref>

====1864====
* On 1 September 1864 Brigham Young signed and dated a copy of the ''Pearl of Great Price'' and donated it to Harvard university. This volume contains Joseph Smith’s 1838 First Vision account.<ref>{{RegionalStudiesBritishIsles1| author= Rodney Turner |article= Franklin D. Richards and the Pearl of Great Price |start=184}}</ref>
* Brigham Young 4 June 1864: 
::The Lord had not spoken to the inhabitants of this earth for a long time, until He spoke to Joseph Smith, committed to him the plates on which the Book of Mormon was engraved, and gave him a Urim and Thummim to translate a portion of them, and told him to print the Book of Mormon, which he did, and sent it to the world, according to the word of the Lord….. it was first organized on the 6th of April, 1830. This was a slow business, but at last he organized the Church, for the Lord had revealed to him the Aaronic priesthood upon which the Church was first organized; after that he received the Melchisedec priesthood, when the Church was more fully organized, and a few more believed, and then a few more and a few more.<ref>{{JDmini|vol=10|pages=303|date=4 June 1864}}</ref>
* Brigham Young 13 November 1864
::The first act that Joseph Smith was called to do by the angel of God, was, to get the plates from the hill Cumorah, and then translate them, and he got Martin Harris and Oliver Cowdery to write for him. He would read the plates, by the aid of the Urim and Thummim, and they would write.<ref>{{JDmini|vol=10|pages=363-365|date=13 November 164}}</ref>

====1866====
* Brigham Young 17 June 1866:
::He called upon his servant Joseph Smith, jun., when he was but a boy, to lay the foundation of his kingdom for the last time. Why did he call upon Joseph Smith to do it? because he was disposed to do it. Was Joseph Smith the only person on earth who could have done this work? No doubt there were many others who, under the direction of the Lord, could have done that work; but the Lord selected the one that pleased him, and that is sufficient. <ref>{{JDmini|vol=11|pages=253|date=17 June 1866}}  </ref>

====1867====
* Brigham Young, June 23rd, 1867
::When the Lord called upon Joseph he was but a boy--a child, only about fourteen years of age. He was not filled with traditions; his mind was not made up to this, that, or the other. I very well recollect the reformation which took place in the country among the various denominations of Christians--the Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, and others--when Joseph was a boy. Joseph's mother, one of his brothers, and one, if not two, of his sisters were members of the Presbyterian Church, and on this account the Presbyterians hung to the family with great tenacity. And in the midst of these revivals among the religious bodies, the invitation, "Come and join our church," was often extended to Joseph, but more particularly from the Presbyterians. Joseph was naturally inclined to be religious, and being young, and surrounded with this excitement, no wonder that he became seriously impressed with the necessity of serving the Lord. But as the cry on every hand was, "Lo, here is Christ," and "Lo, there!" Said he, "Lord, teach me, that I may know for myself, who among these are right." And what was the answer? "They are all out of the way; they have gone astray, and there is none that doeth good, no not one." When he found out that none were right, he began to inquire of the Lord what was right, and he learned for himself. Was he aware of what was going to be done? By no means. He did not know what the Lord was going to do with him, although He had informed him that the Christian churches were all wrong, because they had not the Holy Priesthood, and had strayed from the holy commandments of the Lord, precisely as the children of Israel did. …[70] When the Lord called upon His servant Joseph, after leading him along for years until he got the plates, from a portion of which the Book of Mormon was translated…. The Lord sent John to ordain Joseph to the Aaronic Priesthood, and when he commenced to baptize people he sent a greater power—Peter; James, and John, who ordained him to the apostleship, which is the highest office pertaining to the Kingdom of God that any man can possess on the face of the earth, for it holds the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven....<ref>{{JDfairwiki|author=Brigham Young|vol=12|start=67,70|end=70|disc=16|date=23 June 1867}}</ref>

====1868====

* President B. Young 6 October 1868: 
::Orson Pratt spoke: some seven years before the Lord entrusted them [the plates] to his care…. The Lord revealed himself to this youth when he was between fourteen and fifteen years of age....<ref>SLC Tabernacle, General Conference, 6 1/2 p.m.; ''Deseret News Weekly'' 17:282; {{Book:Watson:Brigham Young Addresses|pages=133|vol=5}} </ref>

====1870====
* Brigham Young, Tabernacle, SLC, July 17, 1870:

::Is there any harm in believing in the Lord Jesus Christ? I frequently ask the question for my own satisfaction. Is there a doctrine taught in this book (the Bible), that would ruin or injure man, woman or child on the face of the earth? Not one. Is there a doctrine taught by Jesus and his disciples that would not do good to the people morally, physically, socially, religiously or politically? Not one. Did Joseph Smith ever teach a doctrine that would not elevate the soul, feelings, heart and affections of every individual who would embrace it? Not one. Did he ever teach a doctrine that would lead those who embraced it down to wretchedness, woe and misery, that would give them pain for ease, darkness for light, error for truth? No; but just the reverse. He proffered life and salvation--light for darkness and truth for error. He proffered all that was in the Gospel of the Son of God, and proclaimed that very Gospel that John saw the angel flying through the midst of heaven to restore. That angel delivered the keys of this apostleship and ministry to Joseph Smith and his brethren”....<ref> ''Deseret News Weekly'' 19 (August 3, 1870): 303-308; also in {{JDmini|vol=13|pages=216}}</ref>

====1871====
* Brigham Young, General Conference, April 8, 1871:
::Did Joseph Smith ever arrogate to himself this right? Never, never, never; and if God had not sent a messenger to ordain him to the Aaronic Priesthood and then other messengers to ordain him to the Apostleship, and told him to build up his kingdom on the earth, it would have remained in chaos to this day.<ref>''Deseret News'' 20/10  (April 12, 1871): 112; {{JDmini|vol=14|pages=95|date=8 April 1871}}</ref>

====1872====

* John Taylor, May 26, 1872 Tabernacle, Ogden Tabernacle<ref>''Deseret News'' 21 (September 25, 1872): 504-5; synopsis in ''Millennial Star'' 34/27 (July 2, 1872): 419-20; {{JDmini|vol=15|pages=169-70|date=26 May 1872}}</ref>

====1873====
* Brigham Young 18 May 1873: 
::When Joseph Smith first learned [p.42] from God the principle of baptism for the remission of sins, he undoubtedly thought that he had learned something great and wonderful; so, also, when he received his ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood under the hands of John the Baptist. But he did not fly off at a tangent, and think he had it all, but was willing and anxious to be taught further. After receiving this authority, he baptized his friends. When he organized the Church, he received the higher Priesthood, after the order of Melchisedec, which gave him authority not only to baptize for the remission of sins, but to confirm by the laying on of hands for the reception of the Holy Ghost. The Aaronic Priesthood holds power to baptize, but not to lay on hands to confer the Holy Ghost. When Joseph Smith received this higher power, he did not throw away the first, but received additions to it. He learned of and administered the Sacrament, then went to preaching a year or two, and received the High Priesthood, which he imparted to others, and then obtained other communications and powers, until he received the full pattern and authority to build up the kingdom of God, preparatory to the coming of the Son of Man, which also he imparted to others.<ref>{{JDmini|vol=16|pages=42|date=18 May 1873}}</ref>
* Brigham Young June 29, 1873 Logan Bowery
::From the time that Joseph obtained a knowledge of the plates in the hill Cumorah he received little by little, a little at a time. When he first obtained a knowledge of these plates I apprehend that he knew nothing, in comparison, of their contents and the design of the Lord in bringing them forth. But he was instructed little by little until he received the Aaronic priesthood, then the privilege of baptism for the remission of sins, then the Melchizedek Priesthood, then organizing a church, &c.,<ref>''Deseret News Weekly'' 22:388; {{Book:Watson:Brigham Young Addresses|pages=79|vol=6}}</ref>
* Brigham Young, 10 August 1873, SLC Tabernacle:
::The condition of the nations of the earth, politically, socially and religiously, was next dwelt upon, and, in concluding, President Young bore a powerful testimony to the gospel of Christ as revealed in this age of the [564] world, through Joseph Smith, the prophet.<ref>''Deseret News Weekly'' 22:441; {{MS|vol=35|num=36|date=9 September 1873|pages=563-4}};  {{Book:Watson:Brigham Young Addresses|pages=82|vol=6}}</ref>

====1874====
* President Young’s Address; Railroad Celebration.—Opening of the U.S.R.R. to Provo [read by David McKenzie] 

::JOSEPH SMITH.  It is true that the angel, commissioned to restore, in this our day, the fullness of the everlasting Gospel, found Joseph but a youth and comparatively unlearned, he having had but limited opportunities for education in the then wilds of Western New York; but, from that date, until so foully massacred with his brother Hyrum in Carthage, Hancock County, Illinois, on the 27th June, 1844, in the 39th year of his age, he assiduously applied himself to studying the English, German, Hebrew and other languages, and gaining all information of worth from every available source, especially through revelation from Heaven, the fountain of all light and knowledge. (5)<ref>{{MS|vol=36|num=1|date=Tuesday, 6 January 1874):  1-7}}  [From ''Salt Lake Herald'']:  2-6.</ref>

*Brigham Young 21 June 1874:

::We have passed from one thing to another, and I may say from one degree of knowledge to another. When Joseph first received the knowledge of the plates that were in the hill Cumorah, he did not then receive the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, he merely received the knowledge that the plates were there, and that the Lord would bring them forth, and that they contained the history of the aborigines of this country. He received the knowledge that they were once in possession of the Gospel, and from that time he went on, step by step, until he obtained the plates, and the Urim and Thummim, and had power to translate them.[p.240] This did not make him an Apostle, it did not give to him the keys of the kingdom, nor make him an Elder in Israel. He was a Prophet, and had the spirit of prophecy, and had received all this before the Lord ordained him…..  He received the Aaronic Priesthood, and then he received the keys of the Melchisedek Priesthood, and organized the Church. He first received the power to baptise, and still did not know that he was to receive any more until the Lord told him there was more for him. Then he received the keys of the Melchisedek Priesthood, and had power to confirm after he had baptized, which he had not before. He would have stood precisely as John the Baptist stood, had not the Lord sent his other messengers, Peter, James and John, to ordain Joseph to the Melchisedek Priesthood. …<ref>{{JDmini|vol=18|pages=239-40|date=21 June 1874}}</ref>

====1876====

* Orson Pratt, October 8, 1876, General Conference:
::“He spoke of some who had attained to a perfect knowledge.  Joseph Smith, when a youth of fourteen years of age, had a knowledge of the existence of God the Father, Jesus Christ his Son, and holy angels, for he not only saw them with his eyes, but heard their voice” [BY spoke morning and twice in the afternoon sessions.]<ref>''Deseret News'' 25 (October 11, 1876): 585; {{MS|vol=38|num=46|date=13 November 1876|pages=721}}</ref>

* Brigham Young: Sunday afternoon 17 September 1876 SLC Tabernacle:
::“Brother Cannon speaks of Christians. We are Christians professedly, according to our religion. People have gathered to themselves certain ideas, and laid them down as systems, calling them religion, all professing to believe and obey the Scriptures. Their religious are peculiar to themselves—our religion is peculiar to God, to angels, and to the righteous of time and eternity. Why are we persecuted because of our religion? Why was Joseph Smith persecuted? Why was he hunted from neighborhood to neighborhood, from city to city, and from State to State, and at last suffered death? '''Because he received revelations from the Father, from the Son, and was ministered to by holy angels''', and published to the world the direct will of the Lord concerning his children on the earth. Again, why was he persecuted? Because he revealed to all mankind a religion so plain and so easily understood, consistent with the Bible, and so true. It is now as it was in the days of the Savior; let people believe and practise these simple, Godlike traits, and it will be as it was in the old world, they will say, if this man be let alone he will come and take away our peace and nation....<ref>''Deseret News Weekly'' 25 (11 October 1876): 582; {{JDmini|vol=18|pages=231|date=17 Setpember 1876}}</ref>

* Brigham Young 21 May 1877 Logan: 
::[144] The priesthood which Peter, James and John held while in the flesh was the highest ever bestowed upon the children of men, and it was conferred upon Joseph and Oliver, and without it they never could have built up the Kingdom. … The Lord sent his messengers, Peter, James and John, to ordain him to the highest authority that could be given…..<ref>{{Book:Watson:Brigham Young Addresses|pages=142|vol=6}}; ''Deseret News Weekly'' 26:274-275.</ref>

====1877====
* Brigham Young died August 29, 1877.
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[[es:Pregunta: ¿Cuándo y con qué frecuencia se refirió Brigham Young a los elementos de la Primera Visión de José Smith en sus discursos?]]
[[de:Frage: Hat Brigham Young die Erste Vision nie erwähnt?]]
[[pt:Pergunta: Quando e com que freqüência Brigham Young referem-se a elementos de Joseph Smith da Primeira Visão em seus discursos?]]

[[Category:Difficult Questions for Mormons]]