Joseph Smith History Account 1832
This 1832 narrative contains the earliest known account
of Joseph’s First Vision and the only account in his own handwriting
At about the age of twelve years my mind become seriously
imprest [p. 1] with regard to the all importent concers for the wellfare
of my immortal Soul which led me to searching the scriptures believing
as I was taught, that they contained the word of God thus applying
myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different
denominations led me to marvel excedingly for I discovered that
instead of adorning their profession by a holy walk
and Godly conversation agreeable to what I found contained in the 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 situation 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 exceedingly distressed for I become convicted of my sins
and by searching the scriptures I found that mand did not come
unto the Lord but that they had apostatised from the true and living 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
inteligence in governing the things which are so exceding great
and [p. 2] marvilous even in the likeness of him who created him
and when I considered upon these things my heart exclaimed well hath
the wise man said the fool 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 being seeketh such to worship him
as worship him in spirit and in truth therefore I cried unto the
Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom I could go and to
obtain mercy and the Lord heard my cry in the wilderness.... and
while in attitude of calling upon the Lord a piller of fire light above the brightness of the sun
at noon day come down from above and rested upon me and I was
filled with the spirit of god and the opened the heavens
upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying Joseph
thy sins are forgiven thee....
...go thy 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
the world lieth in sin and at this time and none doeth good no
not one they have turned asside from the gospel and keep not
commandments they draw near to me with their lips while their hearts
are far from me and mine anger is kindling against the inhabitants
of the earth to visit them acording to th[e]ir ungodliness and to
bring to pass that which been spoken by the mouth of the
prophets and Ap[o]stles behold and lo I come quickly as it [is]
written of me in the cloud in the glory of my Father
and my soul was filled with love and for many days I could rejoice
with great Joy and the Lord was with me but [I] could find none
that would believe the hevnly vision nevertheless I pondered
these things in my heart
