First Vision -- The Moroni Problem

As I have gone through my 6 1/2 years of the study of "real" church history, I have not devoted much attention to the First Vision.  I knew that there were multiple accounts of the vision and I knew that apologists and church critics sparred over the relative harmony or dissonance of the various accounts.  The simple apologetic answer is, "See the small differences show that it was not made up and repeated verbatim.  This proves that it is true."  The critics on the other hand seemed to be very nitpicky saying things like, "This account says 'angel,' and this account says 'angels.'  This proves that the church is based upon a lie!"  Because of these polar extremes and my preoccupation with what I considered to be more interesting aspects of Mormon history, this topic was relegated to the back burner.  With my effort to identify and investigate the foundational claims of the church, I have found myself deep in the middle of understanding the First Vision.  That leads to the topic of this post, the Moroni problem.

As I have scanned over various critical reviews of the First Vision over the years, I found that the Moroni story popped up in several places.  I thought that was odd.  I wondered if the church critics were taking the Moroni story and comparing it to the First Vision story and saying, "See they are different.  This proves the church is false."  This never made any sense to me.  As I approached the topic of the First Vision, I knew that I was going to have to deal with this forthrightly and objectively.  I first thought I would review non-Moroni-like accounts, then attemp to understand why some critics included the Moroni-like accounts under the umbrella of the First Vision.  It actually didn't take very much reading of the non-Moroni accounts before I started to see why the Moroni-like accounts might be included.  As I followed the trail, it became abundantly clear to me why these accounts were included as accounts of the First Vision. 

My first "Ah, hah!" came from my reading of the 1834-1835 account of the First Vision, published in the Messenger and Advocate.  Some of this was published in the December, 1834 edition, but most of it was published in the February, 1835 edition.  Oliver and Joseph wrote this together, and claimed that it was a "complete" history of the origins of the church.  What I read here was very interesting.

“You will recollect that I informed you, in my letter published in the first No. of the Messenger and Advocate, that this history would necessarily embrace the life and character of our esteemed friend and brother, J Smith Jr. one of the presidents of this church, and for information on that part of the subject, I refer you to his communication of the same, published in this paper. I shall, therefore, pass over that, till I come to the 15th year of his life. “It is necessary to premise this account by relating the situation of the public mind relative to religion, at this time: One Mr. Lane, a presiding Elder of the Methodist church, visited Palmyra, and vicinity. Elder Lane was a talented man possessing a good share of literary endowments, and apparent humility. There was a great awakening, or excitement raised on the subject of religion, and much enquiry for the word of life. Large additions were made to the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist churches. … Then strife seemed to take the place of that apparent union and harmony which had previously characterized the moves and exhortations of the old professors, and a cry — I am right — your are wrong — was introduced in their stead. “In this general strife for followers, his mother, one sister, and two of his natural brothers, were persuaded to unite with the Presbyterians. … “After strong solicitations to unite with one of those different societies, and seeing the apparent proselyting disposition manifested with equal warmth from each, his mind was led to more seriously contemplate the importance of a move of this kind.”

Oliver Cowdery continues the narrative in the next issue, on page 78-79: “You will recollect that I mentioned the time of a religious excitement, in Palmyra and vicinity to have been in the 15th year of our brother J. Smith Jr.’s age — that was an error in the type — it should have been in the 17th. — You will please remember this correction, as it will be necessary for the full understanding of what will follow in time. This would bring the date down to the year 1823. “I do not deem it necessary to write further on the subject of this excitement. … “And it is only necessary for me to say, that while this excitement continued, he continued to call upon the Lord in secret for a full manifestation of divine approbation, and for, to him, the all important information, if a Supreme being did exist, to have an assurance that he was accepted of him. “… On the evening of the 21st of September, 1823, previous to retiring to rest, our brother’s mind was unusually wrought up on the subject which had so long agitated his mind … all he desired was to be prepared in heart to commune with some kind of messenger who could communicate to him the desired information of his acceptance with God. “… While continuing in prayer for a manifestation in some way that his sins were forgiven; endeavoring to exercise faith in the scriptures, on a sudden a light like that of day, only of a purer and far more glorious appearance and brightness burst into the room … It is no easy task to describe the appearance of a messenger from the skies … But it may be well to relate the particulars as far as given — The stature of this personage was a little above the common size of men in this age; his garment was perfectly white, and had the appearance of being without seam. Though fear was banished from his heart, yet his surprise was no less when he heard him declare himself to be a messenger sent by commandment of the Lord, to deliver a special message, and to witness to him that his sins were forgiven, and that his prayers were heard;"

Okay, there are a number of things here that are noteworthy:

• This story is the first story of the divine influence on the founding of the church in the "complete" history of the church, published by Oliver and Joseph
• Joseph talks about the great religious excitement that occurs in the official First Vision story
• He talks about "Mr. Lane," a Methodist pastor - who led the Methodist element of the great revival in the 1824 time frame
• Large additions to the Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptists churches occurred in 1824-1825, NOT in 1820 - these large additions is also a part of the official First Vision story
• Oliver and Joseph went to great lengths to clarify and detail that this account happened in 1823, not 1820, yet it was the first account of the divine foundation of the church in the complete history
• The surprising content regarding Joseph wondering whether or not a Supreme Being existed - occuring in 1823, supposedly three years after the official First Vision account tells us that Joseph was visited by God and Christ
• Joseph's inquiry was focused on whether or not he would be accepted and whether or not his sins would be forgiven
• He also is endeavoring to exercise faith in the scriptures, presumably James 1:5, but that is unclear - if so, another element of the First Vision story included
• The prayer in his bedroom and the visitation of the single "messenger" is clearly part of the offical Moroni story
• His sins were apparently forgiven him, which isn't really part of either the official account of the First Vision or the official account of the Moroni visitation - interestingly it does parallel Joseph's 1832 handwritten account of the First Vision in which he was seeking forgiveness for his sins and receiving a visitation from the "Lord," who told him his sins were forgiven

Wow, what should I say?  What we have here appears to be a conflation of the official account of the First Vision with the official account of the Moroni visitation.  If you were to assume for the moment that the official accounts of the First Vision and Moroni visitation are correct, when compared to this account from the Messenger and Advocate, you would find it loaded with anachronisms.  What may be more important, is that this 1834-1835 account was written, published, and re-published before the official accounts of these foundational events were written in 1838 and published in 1842.  This account comes first and stands firmly before what is now recognized as the official accounts.  This led me down the path of wondering whether or not, the founding of the church was originally based upon one story from one point in time to being split into two stories at two different points in time.  My investigation has led to the following nuggets of information:

• The First Vision account of Lucy Mack Smith puts it in 1823 in Joseph's bedroom and includes elements of the official First Vision and elements of the official Moroni visitation
• The First Vision account by William Smith puts it in 1823 in the grove, and includes elements of the official First Vision and elements of the official Moroni visitation
• There are multiple references in the Journal of Discourses from Brigham Young, John Taylor, Orson Hyde, and others that clearly state that the First Vision was from an angel

There are certainly more elements that could be included, but a review of the available accounts and materials indicate that the probability is high that the official account of the First Vision and Moroni visitation started out as one story, then evolved over time into two separate and distinct stories.  Who would have guessed.....?