By Jerald and Sandra Tanner

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The Mormon Church claims that in 1820, when Joseph Smith was 14 or 15 years old, that he was visited by God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The evidence indicates, however, that this story was made up at some later date. Joseph Smith did not publish the story until 1842, some 22 years after it was supposed to have occurred. The “first published consecutive account of the origin of the Church” (published in 1834-5) contained nothing concerning a vision in 1820. This account was written under the “personal supervision” of Joseph Smith, and stated that it was only an angel that appeared to Joseph Smith in 1823 when he was 17 years old. No mention is made of a vision prior to this. In our book, Mormonism—Shadow or Reality? we show that even Joseph Smith’s own brother did not accept the story that God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820 (see pages 124-125).

Recently Wesley P. Walters has drawn our attention to a sermon by William Smith given June 8, 1884. In this sermon he claims that it was only an angel that appeared when Joseph Smith was 18 years old. He stated:

It will be remembered that just before the angel appeared to Joseph, there was an unusual revival in the neighborhood. . . . My mother attended those meetings, and being much concerned about the spiritual welfare of the family, she persuaded them to attend the meetings. Finally my mother, one sister, my brothers Samuel and Hyrum became Presbyterians. Joseph and myself did not join; I had not sown all my wild oats. . . . it was at the suggestion of the Rev. M____, that my brother asked of God. He said, “Ask of God.”. . . Accordingly he went and bowed in prayer to God. While he was engaged in prayer, he saw a pillar of fire descending. Saw it reach the top of the trees. He was overcome, became unconscious, did not know how long he remained in this condition, but when he came to himself, the great light was about him, and he was told by the personage whom he saw descend with the light, not to join any of the churches. . . . You should remember Joseph was but about eighteen years old at this time, too young to be a deceiver. (The Saints’ Herald, vol. 31, no. 40, page 643)

Dr. Hugh Nibley, of the Brigham Young University, makes this comment concerning William Smith:

If William Smith and Oliver Cowdery give confusing accounts of the first vision, we must remember that the Prophet knew from the first that those men were not to be trusted with too much information. . . . Were such men to be trusted with a full account of the first vision before it was officially given to the world? (Improvement Era, November 1961, pages 868-869)

It certainly seems strange that Joseph Smith could not trust his own brother with an account of the First Vision, if such a vision really occurred.

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