by Joseph Smith, Jun.
as published in the Times and Seasons Vol. 3 No. 9, 1 March 1842
available in the United States Library Of Congress
BX8605.1.T48 Vol. 3 pp 706-710
At the request of Mr. John Wentworth, Editor, and Proprietor ofthe "Chicago Democrat," I have written the following sketch of therise, progress, persecution, and faith of the Latter-Day Saints,of which I have the honor, under God, of being the founder. Mr.Wentworth says, that he wishes to furnish Mr. Bastow, a friend ofhis, who is writing the history of New Hampshire, with thisdocument. As Mr. Bastow has taken the proper steps to obtaincorrect information, all that I shall ask at his hands is that hepublish the account entire, ungarnished, and withoutmisrepresentation.
I was born in the town of Sharon, Windsor co., Vermont, on the23d of December, A.D. 1805. When ten years old my parents removedto Palmyra, New York, where we resided about four years, and fromthence we removed to the town of Manchester.
My father was a farmer and taught me the art of husbandry. Whenabout fourteen years of age I began to reflect upon the importanceof being prepared for a future state, and upon enquiring [of] theplan of salvation I found that there was a great clash inreligious sentiment; if I went to one society they referred me toone plan, and another to another, each one pointing to his ownparticular creed as the summum bonum of perfection: consideringthat all could not be right, and that God could not be the authorof so much confusion I determined to investigate the subject morefully, believing that if God had a church it would not be split upinto factions, and that if he taught one society to worship oneway, and administer in one set of ordinances, He would not teachanother, principles which were diametrically opposed. Believingthe word of God I had confidence in the declaration of James; "Ifany man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all menliberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him," I retiredto a secret place in a grove and began to call upon the Lord,while fervently engaged in supplication my mind was taken awayfrom the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrappedin a heavenly vision and saw two glorious personages who exactlyresembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with abrilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon-day. They told methat all religious denominations were believing in incorrectdoctrines and that none of them was acknowledged of God as HisChurch and kingdom. And I was expressly commanded to "go not afterthem," at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness ofthe gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.
On the evening of the 21st of September, A.D. 1823, while I waspraying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in theprecious promises of scripture on a sudden a light like that ofday, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance, andbrightness burst into the room, indeed the first sight was asthough the house was filled with consuming fire; the appearanceproduced a shock that affected the whole body; in a moment apersonage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater thanthat with which I was already surrounded. This messengerproclaimed himself to be an angel of God sent to bring the joyfultidings, that the covenant which God made with ancient Israel wasat hand to be fulfilled, that the preparatory work for the secondcoming of the Messiah was speedily to commence; that the time wasat hand for the gospel, in all its fulness to be preached in power,unto all nations that a people might be prepared for the millennialreign.
I was informed that I was chose