As we now have it, D&C 20:5 asserts that prior to
Moroni's visit " it was truly manifested unto this first elder that he had
received a remission of his sins," following which "he was entangled
again in the vanities of the world." In light of the 1832 journal ("
... I saw the Lord and he spake unto me saying, Joseph my son, thy sins are
forgiven thee ... "), corroborated by the 1835 account (" ... he said
unto me thy sins are forgiven thee ... ") and Orson Pratt's 1840
publication ["He was informed that his sins were forgiven"). it is
apparent that the reference, though pointedly brief, due to its public nature,
is a first-hand account of Joseph's theophany agreeing in essence with several
later versions. (The reference even includes Joseph's account of falling into
sin following the vision, made explicit in the 1832 and 1838 recitals.) Note
also that without the benefit of the later accounts, the general public would
hardly recognise this brief reference in terms of a literal theophany.
Although not as clear, D&C 1:17 may also contain an
early first-hand reference to Joseph's vision.
The 1832 account is part of Joseph's earliest known
attempt to dictate a Church history, and at the same time, he initiated both a
personal journal and the very important Kirtland letter book (Dean Jesse, 1969
pp 277-280). That only shortly after the Church's organisation he began his
first personal history by detailing an extensive account of the vision (and
several pages, including the vision experience, are in the prophet's own
handwriting) is an important indication of Joseph Smith's earliest private feelings,
which with D&C 20:5 makes the argument that the vision was a later
evolutionary invention to further validate Joseph's prophetic role within the
Church somewhat difficult to maintain. Many of the elements appearing elsewhere
are found in the 1832 account, including his concern for forgiveness and
salvation, his efforts to analyse the claims of the conflicting denominations
and the confusion that resulted therefrom, as well as his intensive efforts in
searching the scriptures. The 1832 history contains a probable retrospective
reflection that may seem confusing however, as Joseph notes after recounting
his period of intensive study that mankind "had apostatised" from the
true faith and that no comtemporary denomination was "built upon" the
New Testament gospel. While he later asserted that through the scriptures he
realised prior to the vision that Cod could not be the author of so much
confusion" (1842, Wentworth letter) and that "darkness was covering
the earth" (Orson Hyde, Germany 1842) in almost all these later versions
he still remained confused perhaps hopeful that somewhere a Church recognised
by Christ could be found (" ... it had never entered into my heart that
all were wrong" Church History Book 1, 1836). The 1832 comment is probably
a retrospective observation as suggested by its extended nature and clarified
in Joseph's later drafts to avoid confusion. (Ian Barber, What Mormonism’ Isn’t
[Auckland, New Zealand: Pioneer Books, 1981], D1)
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