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Harmony of Eight Contemporary Accounts of the First Vision

(The dates in the first set of parentheses refer to the approximate date when Joseph Smith wrote the account and the letters in the second set of parentheses refer to four other accounts written or published by contemporaries before 1844, namely Orson Pratt's Several Remarkable Visions (1840) (identified as "P"); Orson Hyde's A Cry From the Wilderness (1842) (identified as "H"); an account written by a non-Mormon and printed in the New York Spectator, September 23, 1843 (identified as "S"); and an account recorded in the diary of Alexander Neibaur (identified as "N").

The Historical Setting

Joseph's quest for forgiveness of his sins, his concern for his soul and/or his preparation for future estate (1832, 1835, 1842) (P, H)

Joseph's concern for mankind in general (1832) (P, H)

Joseph's investigation of various faiths (1832, 1835, 1838, 1842) (P, H)

Joseph's concern because faiths proclaimed conflicting doctrines (1838, 1842) (P, H)

Joseph's desire to know which church to join or his desire to join Christ's church (1832, 1835, 1838, 1842) (P, H, S)

Joseph's quest continued for several years (1832)

Unusual religious excitement in the area (1838) (N)

Contention among the faiths (1838, 1842) (P, H)

Joseph's searching the Scriptures (Bible) (1832,1835,1838,1842) (P, H, S, N)

Joseph reading James 1:5 (1835, 1838, 1842) (P, H, S, N)

Joseph seeking an answer through prayer (1832,1835,1838,1842) (P, H, S, N)

Vision occurred when he was about fourteen or fifteen (1832,1835,1838,1842) (P, H, S, N)

Vision occurred in the spring of 1820 (1838)

The Vision (Truths Revealed and Descriptions of What Joseph Beheld)

God hears and answers prayers and intervenes in the affairs of men (1832, 1835,1838,1842) (P, H, S, N)

The power of evil is real and strong (1835, 1838) (P, H)

The power of God is stronger than the influence of evil (1835, 1838) (P, H)

Joseph was enrapt in a pillar of light and/or filled with unspeakable joy (or the spirit of God) (1832, 1835, 1838) (P, H)