“marvilous even in the likeness of him who created
him (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 G-d 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 and when I considered all these things and that (that) being
seeketh such to worship him as worship him in spirit and in truth
therefore I cried unto the Lord for mercy for there was none else to whom
I could go and to obtain mercy and the Lord heard my cry in the wilderness
and while in (the) attitude of calling upon the Lord (in the
16th year of my age) 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 G-d and the
(Lord) opened the heavens upon me and I saw the Lord and he spake unto
me saying Joseph (my son) thy sins are forgiven thee. go thy (way) walk in
my statutes and keep my commandments behold I am the Lord of glory I was
crucifyed for the world that all those who believe on my name may have
Eternal life (behold) the world lieth in sin and at this
time and none doeth good no not one they have turned asside from the
gospel and keep not (my) commandments they draw near to me with their lips
while their hearts are far from me and mine anger is kindling against the
inhabitants of the earth to visit them acording to th[e]ir ungodliness and
to bring to pass that which (hath) been spoken by the mouth of the
prophets and Ap[o]stles behold and lo I come quickly as it [is] written of
me in the cloud (clothed) in the glory of my Father and my soul was filled
with love and for many days I could reioice with great Joy and the Lord
was with me but [I] could find none that would believe the hevnly vision
nevertheless I pondered these things in my heart about that time
my mother and but after many days |
Scanned image from:
History, 1832, Joseph Smith Letterbook 1,
p.3
Handwriting of Joseph Smith.
Click picture for a larger view.
|
“I was at this time in my fifteenth
year.”
PGP, JS-H 1:7
“I saw two Personages …
standing above me in the air. PGP, JS-H 1:17
The message conveyed by the two personages is totally
different than the handwritten version. See PGP, JS-H 1:17-19 |
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