⚖️ Similar Experiences¶
Estimated time to read: 5 minutes
If Joseph Smith seeing God and Jesus is a distinguishing factor for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, then any of these other accounts are equally plausible inciting incidents for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I had been led to believe that Joseph’s account was unique (both to himself, excluding other accounts; and to others, meaning God only appeared to him). Imagine my surprise to find out that circumstantial evidence sure looks like Joseph is jumping on a bandwagon.
Were these other recipients of a divine vision or visitation called of God to be a prophet? Were they just not up to the task? Were they also foreordained, and named after their father?
Norris Stearns, 1815
Norris Stearns published his own vision in Greenfield, Massachusetts in 1815; not far from where the Joseph Smith Senior family lived in Vermont.
“At length, as I lay apparently upon the brink of eternal woe, seeing nothing but death before me, suddenly there came a sweet flow of the love of God to my soul, which gradually increased. At the same time, there appeared a small gleam of light in the room, above the brightness of the sun, then at his meridian, which grew brighter and brighter… At length, being in an ecstasy of joy, I turned to the other side of the bed, (whether in the body or out I cannot tell, God knoweth) there I saw two spirits which I knew at the first sight. But if I had the tongue of an Angel I could not describe their glory, for they brought the joys of heaven with them. One was God, my Maker, almost in bodily shape like a man. His face was, as it were a flame of Fire, and his body, as it had been a Pillar and a Cloud. In looking steadfastly to discern features, I could see none, but a small glimpse would appear in some other place. Below him stood Jesus Christ my Redeemer, in perfect shape like a man—His face was not ablaze, but had the countenance of fire, being bright and shining. His Father’s will appeared to be his! All was condescension, peace, and love!”
— The Religious Experience Of Norris Stearns, Norris Stearns, 1815
Elias Smith, 1816
“I went into the woods ... a light appeared from heaven ... My mind seemed to rise in that light to the throne of God and the Lamb ... The Lamb once slain appeared to my understanding, and while viewing him, I felt such love to him as I never felt to any thing earthly ... It is not possible for me to tell how long I remained in that situation”
(The Life, Conversion, Preaching, Travels, and Sufferings of Elias Smith (1, 2), Elias Smith, 1816)
Asa Wild, 1824
It seemed as if my mind, though active in its very nature, had lost all its activity, and was struck motionless, as well as into nothing, before the awful and glorious majesty of the Great Jehovah. He then spake to the following purport; and in such a mannor as I could not describe if I should attempt.
He told me that all the most dreadful and terrible judgments spoken of in the blessed scriptures, were to be executed within that time; that more than two thirds of the inhabitants of the world would be destroyed by these judgments
He also told me, that every denomination of professing christians had become extremely corrupt; many of which had never had any true faith at all; but are guided only by depraved reason, refusing the teaching of that Spirit which indited the scriptures, and which alone can teach us the true meaning of the same
https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/the-prognostication-of-asa-wild/
https://ojs.lib.byu.edu/spc/index.php/BYUStudies/article/viewFile/6482/6131
(Both of those links are from BYU’s library. The former link works, but the latter redirects due to a domain change.)
Billy Hubbard, 1843
“…when I came to the place of prayer, had kneeled down and closed my eyes, with my hands uplifted toward the heavens, I saw Jesus Christ at the right hand of God looking down upon me, and God the Father looking upon him. The look of Jesus on me removed the burden of my sins, while he spoke these words, “Be faithful unto death and this shall be thy place of rest.”
John S Thompson, 1826
“I dreamed Christ descended from the firmament, in a glare of brightness, exceeding ten fold the brilliancy of the meridian Sun, and he came to me saying, ‘I commission you to go and tell mankind that I am come; and bid every man to shout victory.”
Solomon Chamberlin, 1816
“Dissatisfied with the religions he had tried, Chamberlain prayed for further guidance, and in 1816, according to his account, "the Lord revealed to me in a vision of the night an angel," whom Chamberlain asked about the right way. The angel told him that the churches were corrupt and that God would soon raise up an apostolic church. Chamberlain printed up an account of his visions and was still distributing them and looking for the apostolic church when he stopped in Palmyra.”
(John Taylor, Nauvoo Journal, Jan-Sept 1845, BYU Studies 23 no.3, p.45. Referring to A Sketch of the Experience of Solomon Chamberlin, Lyons, New York, 1829) (1, 2, 3)
Find related reading material on the main page for the first vision.