The premise is summed up in the opening paragraph:

Worthy of highest celebration are the words and events recorded in the sacred book of 3 Nephi, the pinnacle of the Book of Mormon. This text truly documents one of the most glorious and crowning moments in all of history. The more I study the book of 3 Nephi, the more I come to see it as the Holy of Holies of the Book of Mormon and to appreciate it metaphorically as the most sacred inner chamber of the Nephite record. Opening to view the most sublime public experiences ever enjoyed by Lehi’s branch of the house of Israel, the book of 3 Nephi allows attentive readers to glimpse the radiant appearance, at the Temple in Bountiful, of the resurrected Savior and Redeemer, the Creator of all things from the beginning. Indeed, it would seem that everything in 3 Nephi, as I shall argue here, has been composed to echo and to call to mind the solemnity of the presence of the Lord, which was traditionally associated in ancient Israel with Jehovah’s appearance in the inner sanctum of the temple, his holy house.

The paper takes into consideration much of the recent scholarship that has been done concerning the ancient temple, including that of Methodist scholar Margaret Barker, the founder and leader of studies in Temple Theology. Read the rest of the paper here at the Maxwell Institute’s website.

I find this section of particular historical interest, because I currently serve on the High Council of our Stake. For the most part, the practical elements of D&C 102 are still fully in force, especially when it comes to the details of convening and carrying out a Disciplinary Council.

However, In 1834, Church organization was significantly less expansive than it is now. At this point, there was no Quorum of Twelve Apostles, nor Quorums of 70. Presidents of Stakes as we understand them now would come significantly later.

Prior to the organization of the High Council, the General Church Government consisted of a Presidency (with many assistants), and the Bishop. As the Church expanded and Stakes were established, the patterns were expanded, and Bishops were situated in additional stakes as their presiding officers. For example, there was a Bishop in Kirtland, and a Bishop in Zion (Independence, MO).

It was at this time that the first High Council was established, with General Churchwide jurisdiction, and with the President of the Church and his two counselors (Sidney Rigdon and Frederick G. Williams) as the Presidency of the Council.

Once the Quorum of the 12 was established a short while later, they were originally established as a Traveling High Council, with jurisdiction only over what may be referred to as 'The Mission Field', or over branches in areas where full stakes were not yet organized.

Church Structure 1835-1839

While the High Council was generally established to convene difficult matters concerning offenses in the Church where one's membership and standing would be in question, I found that the first recording meeting of the High Council for such a purpose was a bit more, shall we say, for a far less serious offence than what would call for such a council today.

In short, an Elder was called to the council on the charge that he was...preaching too loud.

Seriously.

Here's how the official charge read on this matter:

Elder Hodges was being called to account " for an error in the manner of his address, which consisted of loud speaking, and a want of clearness in articulation"

One witness testified that, "Elder Hodges talked so loud at a prayer meeting that the neighbors came out to see if someone was hurt...he raised his voice so high that he could not articulate so as to be understood.” Another testified that, "Elder Hodges was guilty of hollowing so loud that in a measure he lost his voice, and uttered but little else distinctly than ‘Glory to heaven's King’."

While he originally pleaded not guilty, the words of the President of the Council (Joseph Smith) made him rethink his position.

Joseph said, apart from noting Elder Hodges lack of humility, that, even "if he had the Spirit of the Lord at the meetings, where he hollowed, he must have abused it, and grieved it away."

All the council agreed with this assessment, and Elder Hodges "then rose, and said he now saw his error, but never saw it before...He said that he had learned more during this trial than he had since he came into the Church; confessed freely his error, and said he would attend to the overcoming of that evil, the Lord being his helper."

"The Council forgave him, and adjourned".¹

Can anyone question why I love Church History so much?

Makes me wonder if Elder Hodges preaching was anything like this:

1. History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2:33

It's certainly a slow process, time wise, but absolutely fascinating, and has proven to be well worth the effort I've put into it. I thought it may be of interest to some of you to know the resources I use for such a study. I know there are many who have an interest in Church History, but don't know where to start, or where to go. I'll divide my sources into categories for convenience, with a focus on the early years of the restoration, through the Kirtland era (which is where I currently am with my studies).

Narrative Histories

The best way to make sense of the small details is to have a general overview of the 'story', from beginning to end. When it comes to studying the life of Joseph Smith and the Church during that period, there is no better overview on the market than Richard Bushman's seminal biography Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling
. From the scholastic history perspective, there is no better way to get to know Joseph.

While Richard Bushman is a believing and very active and faithful member of the Church, he does not avoid the difficult issues in the life of the Prophet, but contextualizes them.

Often, if someone hears someone claiming something unflattering or difficult to understand about the life of Joseph, it is either accepted at full value as The Real Hidden Truth, or discounted as a Hateful Lie. Both are generally unnecessary.  In this book you will find such difficulties, but with the documentation and historical context that is often left out of such declarations, and explored in such a way that enriches rather than detracts from one's appreciation of a flawed man who was nevertheless called by God and served faithfully and honorably through intense difficulties in his attempts to magnify his prophetic calling.

For a study of Church History,  I can't think of a better book to start out. I read it once straight through as an overview, and I return to it now to read the chapters covering specific years as a review in the context of my study before I begin exploring the details and documents produced in that year.

Once one has the understanding of the overview of the life of Joseph and the Church during his lifetime, there are several aspects and periods that are worthy of a far more detailed exploration than what can be covered in a single biography.

In this category, we have Mark Lyman Staker's Hearken, O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith’s Ohio Revelations
.

After reading this book, which is divided into four thematic 'mini-books', you will never approach the Revelations produced during this period the same way again. In fact, it even highly enhanced the way I now view Joseph's First Vision experience. It's part biography. It's part cultural history.

There are many details that are of necessity passed over without much comment in Rough Stone Rolling. This book grasps hold of them, and exhaustively discusses them. We learn in detail the religious life (and excesses) of the Kirtland residents before the Missionaries arrived on the scene, allowing us to appreciate the language and symbols common in the religious rhetoric and beliefs of the community that worked themselves into the written form of Joseph's revelations –  which in turn gives them additional layers of as-if-you-were-there context and meaning.

We get an unbelievably detailed play-by-play of the Hiram, Ohio mobbing of Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon.

You learn how the Law of Consecration was originally established, how it was originally implemented, and what the United Firm (United Order) was, and how it functioned on a day to day basis.

You learn more than you ever wanted to know about the economic climate of Kirtland, and all that led to the disastrous collapse of the Kirtland Anti-Banking Safety Society.

To sum up, it's all the context you would ever really need to delve into the Revelations received during that period, and to be able to view them as did the original saints did. I can't praise this book enough. It's the perfect companion to Rough Stone Rolling.

Original Sources

Next, it's useful to dig into the actual documents produced and/or published during the period in question, going, when possible, to the original sources the historians used. Because I don't have easy access to the Church History Library in Utah, I have to rely on reprints or transcriptions! Here are some I found particularly useful:

The Book of Mormon (1830 First Edition Reprint) - there's nothing quite like reading the text of the Book of Mormon as the original saints read it.

The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text
- by Royal Skousen) - A bit more of an explanation is needed with this book. This is an amazing attempt, based on a decades-long study of the original manuscript and application of language principles that attempts to recover the original text of the Book of Mormon as it was originally dictated by Joseph Smith. It offers some interesting insights concerning some places where it appears the original scribes misheard Joseph's original words, and presents convincing arguments as to why the presented amended readings may be in fact original. It is also presented in easy-to-read 'sense lines', wherein the text is presented as lines of thought, rather than in giant blocks of text, or even in the paragraphed 'verse' system as in the current editions published by the Church.

The Evening and Morning Star - The first official periodical of the Church, as published in Independence Missouri, and then later in Kirtland, Ohio. Apart from being the very first place many of the revelations were first published, it also contains fascinating doctrinal discourses, and reports of contemporary news events going on elsewhere in the world, along with how these events were interpreted by the early saints. While the link is to an online version of the text, the edition I used was a typescript transcription in book form - which is fantastic for reading. The only problem is the binding is very weak, and the pages keep falling out of the glue. A great product in concept - it just needs better binding.

The Joseph Smith Papers: Revelations and Translations: Manuscript Revelation Books
(A Book of Commandments and Revelations; Kirtland Revelation Book) - pretty much the Holy Grail of original sources - containing the earliest manuscript copies of many of the revelations that exist - and not only do we get full color high-quality photographs of every single page, but also a verbatim typescript transcription, with each scribe's handwriting identified by color. These are the manuscript books used to prepare the Book of Commandments and Book of Doctrine and Covenants for publication, and contain intriguing variations in the text. As these versions were studied, I gained a far greater understanding and appreciation for the process by which Scripture was viewed, received, recorded, and revised in the early Church. It also influenced how I view the personal inspiration and revelation I receive, and its relationship to the way I understand and record it.

A Book of Commandments of the Church of Christ (1833) - The book that was destroyed at the press before it was able to be completely published and circulated.

The Book of Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter-day Saints (1835) - The first widely distributed publication in book form of the revelations, containing the (most likely Sidney Rigdon-produced) Lectures on Faith ("The Doctrine"), and revisions and additions to the Book of Commandments ("The Covenants").

Also, a fantastic website reference for those unable to pick up the actual books is Saints Without Halos, which presents parallel versions of the revelations and other historical texts for easy comparison and reference.

The Complete Joseph Smith Translation of the Old Testament

The Complete Joseph Smith Translation of the New Testament - These new transcription editions use the original manuscripts o the JST as their source, and not only contain every revision and addition made by Joseph, but also contain references to the variants and changes made throughout the years in the manuscripts. The best way by far to study the text of Joseph's 'New Translation' of the scriptures. (see here for some additional thoughts of mine on interpreting the JST)

The Joseph Smith Papers: Journals, Vol. 1: 1832-1839
- The first set of complete journals kept by Joseph and his scribes, much of which was used as the source for his later 1838 History. Some fascinating details and personal insights into the daily life of Joseph, and also the source of several texts that later became canonized scripture.

History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Just recently out of print, the 7-volume edition edited by B.H. Roberts in the early part of the 20^th Century is the only real edition that had been on the market of the History prepared under the direction of Joseph Smith. This will eventually be replaced by the forthcoming volumes in the Joseph Smith Papers: History series, as well. But as it stands, it has been a standard reference, and the closest many have come to the original documents, teachings, and sermons related to Joseph Smith and the rise of the Church. While it has its occasional flaws in accuracy, it is still an important work, and is of keen benefit to the student of early Mormon History.

Scholastic Journals /  Papers

In addition, there are several articles that have been presented throughout the years in Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought, a quarterly scholastic Mormon Studies Journal, which are also useful in exploring context and extracting additional meaning from the historical record. While the journal can be hit and miss, the hits (in my opinion) generally far outweigh the misses, and its importance to Mormon Studies cannot be disregarded. A $25 electronic subscription gives full access to their full archives (including current issues) in pdf format. Here are some particularly useful and interesting articles that have specific relevance to events that occurred and material that was produced in the New York to Kirtland Era, with links to those what are archived on the university server for reading:

The Word of Wisdom in Early Nineteenth-Century Perspective, by Lester E. Bush, Jr.

The Joseph Smith Translation and Ancient Texts of the Bible, by Kevin L. Barney

The Book of Mormon as a Modern Expansion of an Ancient Source, by Blake Ostler

Speaking in Tongues in the Restoration Churches, by Lee Copeland

Martin Harris: The Kirtland Years 1831-1870, by H. Michael Marquardt

Sidney Rigdon's 1820 Ministry: Preparing the Way for Mormonism in Ohio, by Richard McClellan (Winter 2003)

The Encounter of the Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism, by John Matzko (Fall 2007)

Additional Thoughts

The Church has a fascinating history. I have come to develop a passion for the study of it, and have come away with many applicable principles as well, as I explore the struggles, mistakes, and triumphs of the early saints. Beginning my study with a firm testimony of the divine calling of the Prophet Joseph Smith, I am able to see the development and rise of the Church as a record of men and women who, even in their weaknesses, strive towards Zion. While their culture and doctrinal understanding may not be the same as we have it today, I see in this study brothers and sisters that share the same essential struggles we all do, and put forth their best efforts into exploring and trying to understand the revealed will of the Lord in the context of their own personal lives and experiences.

There is still much to learn.

I also am interested in any other suggestions you may have as to material specifically covering the New York – Kirtland period. Nauvoo is a beast of its own, and I’m not quite there yet.

This and the other parts are presented on the YouTube channel for Visions of the Kingdom, As well as  on David Larsen’s Heavenly Ascents YouTube channel.

My wife says attendance would be an appropriate Birthday gift for me, so if the stars all align, I hope to be there! Go here for registration information. Note that there’s a special reduced rate for spouses…my beloved may potentially be coming with me as well!

Also, right now the SBL member price for signup is $100 less than that for a non-member. An annual associate membership only costs $60, so signing up for a membership would not only get you all the membership benefits, but also save you about $35!

Here’s the list as presented by Dan:

—–

The program book for this November’s annual meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature in Atlanta, Ga. is available online here. I’d like to list some papers and sessions I think are of general or particular interest to Latter-day Saints. If the session isn’t listed you can just search for the name in the program book. You can read each paper’s abstract by clicking on its title in the program book. Let me know if you have any questions or comments. (If you can’t figure out how it’s relevant, the author is probably LDS.)

Tod R Harris, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Still Water, Rushing Water: A Comparison of the River Descriptions in Genesis with Parallel Portrayals in Old Norse Eddic Literature

James F. Berlin, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—Translation Division
"The Stick of Ishmael": A Latter-day Saint Perspective of the Qur'an

Kristian Heal, Brigham Young University
The Irresistible Joseph: Continuity and Discontinuity between Syriac Sources and the Quran

Cory Crawford, Brigham Young University
Rethinking the Relationship between Temple and Tabernacle

John Gee, Brigham Young University
History of the Book of the Dead I

Dave Nielsen, Duke University
Singular Readings in the Text of the ‘Unknown Gospel’

Daniel O. McClellan, University of Oxford
El Elyon, Begetter of Heaven and Earth

Latter-day Saints and the Bible
11/22/2010
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Room TBD – Hotel TBD

Margaret Barker, Independent Scholar
“The Christian Envy of the Temple”: Revisiting Hugh Nibley's Landmark Paper after 50 Years.
John F. Hall, Brigham Young University
When the Lights Went Out: Hugh Nibley on the Passing of the Primitive Church
Laurence Hemming, Lancaster University
High Nibley and Attestations of Missing Traditions: The Lost 40 Days
Marco Frenschkowski, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz
Hugh Nibley and German Biblical exegesis

Unity and Diversity in Early Jewish Monotheisms
11/22/2010
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Room: Room TBD – Hotel TBD

Theme: Key Terms in the Debate about Monotheism

Joel Burnett, Baylor University
What is an elohim? Reflections on Chronicles’ Use of the Term
Larry Hurtado, University of Edinburgh
What comprises ‘Jewish Monotheism’ in the late Hellenistic and early Roman Period?
Daniel McClellan, University of Oxford
What is Deity in LXX Deuteronomy?
Michael Hundley, University of Cambridge
What is divine presence?
Robert Barrett, Georg-August Universitaet-Goettingen
What Does it Mean to Follow Other Gods?

Matthew J. Grey, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
“Epigraphical Rabbis” and Epigraphical Priests: Using Inscriptions to Evaluate the Relationship between Priests and Rabbis in Late Antiquity

Aaron Schade, Brigham Young University Hawaii Campus
Fronted Word-Order in Phoenician Inscriptions

Latter-day Saints and the Bible
11/23/2010
9:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Room: Room TBD – Hotel TBD

David J. Larsen, University of St Andrews
Hugh Nibley and the New Year Festival
Frederick M. Huchel, The Frithurex Athenaeum
How the Lights Went Out: The Loss of the Temple in both Testaments
Dana M. Pike, Brigham Young University
"Formed in and Called from my Mother's Womb"
Michael Biggerstaff, Vanderbilt University
Bloodless Sacrifice and the Fulfillment of the Mosaic Law of Sacrifice
Dustin M. Naegle, Brite Divinity School – Texas Christian University
Approaching Isaiah: Hugh Nibley’s Use of Isaiah in Approaching Zion
Stephen D. Ricks, Brigham Young University and John W. Welch, Brigham Young University
Hugh Nibley and the Continuing Pursuit of the Forty-day Literature

I have only had the occasion to enter this extraordinary building once, and was blown away by its beauty. I greatly look forward to my next opportunity, and this is a fantastic resource for those who have an interest in LDS temples to get an authentic glimpse of the experience within.

This way of telling the story is true, and serves an important role in condensing the overall Narrative of the Restoration. However, once we accept the event as Historical, is that as far as we should go in exploring and applying this sacred account to our lives?

While serving as a Missionary, the question I began to consider as relevant as I met and taught more and more individuals about this experience, was 'why was it important to Joseph to know the answer to this question'? With many of those I met, if they had a similar question to Joseph's at all, their interest in it was more often than not little greater than as an intellectual triviality, or perhaps as a Rhetorical question (or riddle) with the obvious answer of 'it doesn't matter', or 'we can never know, so why bother' being implied.

It bothered me that there are many who simply didn't care about the Truthfulness of Churches, or that do not want to be bothered with questions that could potentially shake up their life.

So then, what about Joseph Smith? Why did he have the question? Why did it matter to him?

As I read up and learned more about Joseph,  I found that initially, he too was self-admittedly a little jaded and judgmental concerning organized religion from his early youth. This most likely came from the example of his father, a noble God fearing man who despised the organized religion he had come in contact with, refusing to unite with any of them.

That sounded a lot like many people I've met. They grew up in a home which had been traditionally religious, with good parents that had since lapsed in their religious activity, and transferred behaviors, questions, and attitudes to their children.

But not simply blindly following his dad's lead, Joseph, too, saw the contention among the different sects, and based on elements of his upbringing, had independently come to the same conclusion as his father. In his words,

"I pondered many things in my heart concerning the sittuation of the world of mankind the contentions and divi[si]ons the wicke[d]ness and abominations and the darkness which pervaded the of the minds of mankind" .¹

It's easy to look around and to see hypocrites. Some even take pleasure out of doing so. Yet there came a point where Joseph began to grow out of this, and develop and express true character by turning the judgment inward - to take a deep look at his own faults. Now the questions and reflection and observations became intensely personal.

Let's take a look at things from his point of view:

Joseph still has these questions in the back of his mind, and there's a revival meeting going on. Several locals have approached the center, have fallen down, and appear under the influence of what is often referred to by them as 'the power'. After a short interval, they arise, and begin singing praises to God, declaring that they've seen their salvation. This happens to more and more people. The crowds grow larger. The noise grows louder.

Benajah Williams, a Methodist preacher, shares the details of such a 1818 meeting near Palmyra, New York - Joseph's home –  in his journal:

"At one time in the Course of the meeting whilst we were holding a prayer meeting in our tent & God was pouring out his Spirit on the people sinners were weeping young Converts singing & old Saints rejoicing.  I saw a young woman at the b[ack] of the tent weeping: I asked her if she w[ould] kneel Down if we would pray for her.  S[he] said she would, & came forward & knelt Down...

[a] man the Sabbath after camp meeting was glad to have the privilege of having Christians pray for him, while he lay and roaled on the schoolhouse floor & cried for mercy so that he was heard half a mile.

As the same prayer meeting I observed a young man .... After the Congregation was Dismised & the people were Chiefly gone he still Remained on the ground, unwilling as he said to leave it till God had blessed his soul .... I then knelt Down & prayed for him the Lord heard our prayers, his Countenance changed, he began to whisper glory glory to God.  His strength returned & rose & shouted clapt his hands & jumpd & exhorted, & cried of God."²

Many of the penitent in these meetings who would desire such an experience would come forward when prompted to the 'mourner's bench', and then be surrounded by a group of praying Christians for them to receive these spiritual evidences and manifestations. In the midst of such circles, some mourners would arise, and shout, proclaiming the fulfillment of these prayers, declaring visions of God, and the forgiveness of sins.

The Mourning Bench

Young Joseph Smith is present at several of such meetings. Speaking of this time in his life, Joseph said,

"my mind become exceedingly distressed for I become convicted of my sins...I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins of the world for I learned in the scriptures that God was the same yesterday to day and forever that he was no respecter to persons for he was God"³

- yet Even though he knew that God was not a respecter of persons, when it came to his personal experiences in these meetings, he "wanted to feel and shout like the rest but could feel nothing".

A highly attractive element of the local Methodism of the day was an emphasis on outward manifestations of the immediate regenerative work of Salvation.  When you've become right with God, you know it.

Yet, as much as this desire filled his heart, as much as he desired to please God and inwardly pled for forgiveness, Joseph simply wasn't feeling anything.  The reassurance he sought that was being promised him just wasn't coming, and it led to deep confusion, and self-reflection. Perhaps even doubt.

It's easy to empathize with his confusion. Some of what individuals were claiming as manifestations of forgiveness from God seemed downright...scary. People claimed that when 'the power' came upon them, their tongues were bound, and they were unable to speak. Some started jerking in convulsions. Others opened their mouths and made unnatural sounds and noises.

However, it must have seemed like everyone else was having these intense seemingly spiritual experiences. This must have raised several questions to the young teenager:

Does God love me? Does He care enough to give me such an experience if He does? Were these experiences even truly from God? Were these mourners indeed having their sins remitted, and having encounters with deity? Or was it all a sham? Was this an experience he should still be actively pursuing?

Joseph desperately wanted to know, but the answers he was receiving from all he asked were in conflict.

According to Joseph's brother William, a sermon was heard by a "Rev. Mr Lane of the Methodists", who "preached a sermon on 'What church shall I join?' and the burden of the discourse was to ask God, using as a text, 'If any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberally.' And of course," William continued, "when Joseph went home and was looking over the text he was impressed to do just what the preacher had said."⁴

This was probably the last glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for Joseph.

Joseph "reflected on" the scripture "again and again", and time passed. Did he dare ask the God of All Creation? And if so, how would he go about doing it?

It's been suggested that perhaps he was inspired by something like a contemporary hymn, with the lyrics:

Ye saints, who love the Lord's dear name,

Who love to worship at his feet...

If you retire into the grove,...

Each object there should kindle love,...

In every flow'r, and shrub, and tree,

God's goodness you may plainly see.⁵

I can understand Joseph's desire for solitude. And as he made the trek into the wood to be alone, I can understand how he couldn't help but be overcome by the beauty of the scene

"I looked upon the sun the glorious luminary of the earth ... and the earth also upon which I stood and the beast of the field and the fowls of heaven and the fish of the waters and also man walking forth upon the face of the earth in magesty and in the strength of beauty whose power and intiligence in governing the things which are so exceding great and marvilous even in the likeness of him who createdhim <them> and when I considered upon these things my heart exclaimed well hath the wise man said the <it is a> fool <that> saith in his heart there is no God my heart exclaimed all all these bear testimony and bespeak an omnipotant and omnipreasant power a being who makith Laws and decreeeth and bindeth all things in their bounds who filleth Eternity who was and is and will be from all Eternity to Eternity"⁶

I too have had moments where I have stared into Creation, knowing there was an all-powerful God who loved me, and desperately seeking answers to my very personal questions. In the latter years of college I would do this often - driving to the beach after midnight solely to have such a solitary contemplative experience.

Overcome with such great love and reverence for God in this atmosphere, Joseph says, "I cried unto the Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom I could go and to obtain mercy"

It is at this point, in a moment of such humility and vulnerability,  that Joseph experiences 'the power' that others had proclaimed, and that he had seen people witness. But instead of being an edifying experience for him, it was one of terror.

" I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction."⁷

"I made a fruitless attempt to pray My tongue seemed to be swoolen in my mouth, so that I could not utter"⁸

If Joseph knew anything in that moment, he knew that this experience was not of God. If he had not been struggling for his own being, it would have immediately made him discount the many experiences he'd witnessed that claimed to be signs of God's love.

In this moment, Joseph felt trapped and abandoned. Yet he persisted, and continued to exert himself in inward prayer, desiring to express himself outwardly to His Creator, and be heard by Him...and Saved by Him.

"and the Lord heard my cry in the wilderness and while in <the> attitude of calling upon the Lord ... a piller of fire light above the brightness of the sun at noon day come down from above and rested upon me and I was filled with the spirit of god and the <Lord> opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord"⁹

The darkness was overcome. An important question had already been answered, and cast away, forever leaving Joseph incredibly wary of ecstatic religious experience. And yet now, his eyes were opened, and he saw the Lord.

In Joseph's earliest account, he skips the Lord's introductions, and goes straight to the most important and significant statement spoken on that occasion.

Joseph tells us that the Lord "spake unto me saying Joseph <my son> thy sins are forgiven thee".¹⁰

Joseph entered the grove with many questions. While one important question was certainly that of which religious society was the most correct and could direct him towards the truth of God's salvation, in Joseph's mind at the time, this question was simply an auxiliary or aside to the most pertinent, and most powerful and personal questions: How can I be forgiven, and how can I know that I am right with God?

Joseph was given much additional instruction on that occasion, which time alone would bring into full perspective. As the experience ended, Joseph says "my soul was filled with love and for many days I could rejoice with great Joy and the Lord was with me".¹¹

Joseph's First Vision is undoubtedly an important experience for the institutional Church, and it is this perspective of the story that is often emphasized and retold.

But I like to look at the account from how Joseph would have originally viewed it - a boy simply wanting to know that he was loved and accepted by His marvelous creator, asking Him, and receiving his answer.

1. Joseph Smith, 1832 History - see http://josephsmithpapers.org/History/Default.htm
2. Cited in Mark Staker, Hearken O Ye People: The Historical Setting of Joseph Smith's Ohio Revelations, 128
3. JS 1832 History
4. Staker
5. ibid
6. JS 1832 History
7. Joseph Smith - History
8. Wentworth Letter
9. 1832 History
10. ibid
11. ibid

While the posts up to this point have had a specific focus with Old Testament and other ancient symbolism, I'm going to be expanding the range of posts on this site to include thoughts on the Scriptures and Doctrines of the Restoration.

I've been a self-study student of Church History since the beginning of my relationship with the Church, but recently I've had greater means and resources to study. In addition to my studies of Ancient History and Ancient Scripture, I've been complimenting it with a study of the Beginnings of the Restoration, right now with a focus on the Kirtland Era of the Church. There were some fascinating doctrinal developments, as well as some background information which I think is just as important to gaining the full impact of the scriptures as any of the Old Testament-related symbolism I've been writing about.

I’ve been wanting to explore some of my thoughts and discoveries, and had wondered the best way to do so. I had considered beginnning a separate Restoration-themed blog, but in the end decided to keep it consolidated here.

So from now on, you never know what you're going to find here. At one moment I may be writing about Kingship Rites in Ancient Israel, and the next be discussing the First Vision of Joseph Smith. I've found that there are times when the study of the Ancient and Modern together shed fascinating light on each other. Not only can the Ancient help us understand the Modern, but at times, the plethora of details we have of the Modern can help in filling in the no longer extant details of the Ancient.

I plan to have posts at times (such as this one explaining how understanding how the Pseudepigraphical Book of 1 Enoch was produced helps us understand the nature and purpose of the Joseph Smith Translation ) that connect those dots. Hopefully everything I present will be edifying, and add to one’s love and understanding of the scriptures, and assist in seeing the scriptures point more clearly towards the Savior of the World.

I have very much enjoyed working with David Larsen on this, and look forward to our further collaboration!

Oh, and don’t be surprised if you find rusty nails and unpainted walls around the new place. I’m still trying to fix it up…