History of Utah, 1540-1886 - Brigham Young University

THE VISION. 41
There was much excitement over the subject of re-
ligion in this section at the time, with no small discussion
of doctrines, methodist, baptist, and the rest;
and about a year later, the mother and four of the
children joined the presbyterians.
But young Joseph was not satisfied with any of the
current theologies, and he was greatly troubled what
to do. Reading his bible one day, he came upon the
passage, "If any of yom lack wisdom, let him ask of
God." He retired to the woods and threw himself
upon his knees. It was his first attempt at prayer.
While thus engaged a vision fell upon him. Suddenly
he was seized by some supernatural power of
evil import, which bound him body and soul. He
could not think; he could not speak; thick darkness
gathered round. Presently there appeared above his
head a pillar of light, which slowly descended and
enveloped him. Immediately he was delivered from
the enemy; and in the sky he saw two bright personages,
one of whom said, pointing to the other, " This
is my beloved son; hear him." Then he asked what
he should do; to which sect he should unite himself.
stitious, having a firm belief in ghosts and witches; the telling of fortunes;
pretending to believe that the earth was filled with hidden treasures, buried
there by Kid or the Spaniai'ds. Being miserably poor, and not much disposed
to obtain an honest livelihood by labor, the energies of their minds
seemed to be mostly directed toward finding where these treasures were concealed,
and the best modj of acquiring their possession.' Howes Mormonism
Unveiled, 11. In the towns of Palmyra and Manchester, in 1833, documents
defamatory to the family were circulated for signature, one receiving 1 1 and
another 51 names. Given with signatures in Howe's Mormonism Unveiled,
2(31-2, and in Kidder's Mormonism, 20-1. See also Olshausni, Gesch. d.
Morm., 9-14, 103-10, 200-1; Gazette of Utah, 1874, 17; Tucker's Origin and
Prog. Mor., 11-20. In one of these documents, signed and sworn to by Peter
Ingersoll, he said that the Smith family employed most of their time in golddigging.
At one time Joseph Smith senior told Ingersoll to hold a mineral
rod in his hand, a piece of witch-hazel, and selected a place to stand where
he was to whisper directions to the rod; Smith stood apart, throwing himself
into various shapes, but was unable to produce the desired effect. Again lie
took a stone that Ingersoll had picked up and exclaimed that it was invaluable;
looking at it earnestly, he said it revealed to him chests of gold and
silver at the back of his house; and putting it into his hat, threw himself
into various attitudes, and soon appeared exhausted; then in a faint voice,
said, 'If you only knew what I had seen you would believe.' Some time before
Joseph's discovery of the gold plates, the elder Smith told Ingersoll
that a book had been found in Canada in a hollow tree which treated of the
discovery of this continent