Joseph Smith–History (abbreviated JS–H) is a book in the Pearl of Great Price containing excerpts from an autobiographical record of some of the early events in the life of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Like many of Smith's publications, it was dictated to scribes.
The recording of Joseph Smith–History began in 1838 in Far West, Missouri. Scribes included James Mulholland, Robert B. Thompson, W. W. Phelps, and Willard Richards. Other early leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, such as Brigham Young, George A. Smith, and Eliza R. Snow, contributed in different ways to the development of the record. It was first published piece by piece in the Latter Day Saint periodicals Times and Seasons, Deseret News, and the Millennial Star. The serial history would later be edited by B.H. Roberts and published between 1902 and 1912 as a 2,000-page history entitled History of the Church.
The Joseph Smith–History was published in 1851 by Franklin D. Richards as selected excerpts from the beginning of the History of the Church as part of his collection, the Pearl of Great Price. This collection became part of the scriptural canon of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) on October 10, 1880, during the 50th semiannual general conference of the church.
Joseph Smith–History spans 12 pages in the Pearl of Great Price and tells of 14-year-old Joseph Smith's experiences with religious contention and his First Vision, and, later, the visitation of the angel Moroni to him, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the restoration of the Aaronic priesthood. Through these accounts it touches on religious ideas such as baptism, prophets, and the nature of God. It has been used as a proselyting tool by Mormon missionaries; today, they are encouraged to memorize and recite Joseph Smith's account of the First Vision.
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History
alt=a black plaque surrounded by leaves with gold letters reading: "I saw two personages whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air."|thumb|274x274px|A plaque featuring Joseph Smith–History 1:17
When the Church of Christ was organized on April 6, 1830, Joseph Smith received a revelation from God (now known as Doctrine and Covenants 21:1), commanding the Latter Day Saints to record their history. Smith attempted to record a history seven times before work on what is now Joseph Smith–History began; each of these attempts was unsuccessful, being either left incomplete or deemed unsatisfactory by Smith. He told W. W. Phelps, "There are but few subjects that I have felt a greater anxiety about than my history". The account found in Joseph Smith–History is the product of the 1838 attempt undertaken by Smith and other early Latter Day Saint leaders to record the history of the church. Smith's motivation for creating this history was twofold: to adhere to God's direction to record his experiences, and to respond to critics of his story. on September 3, 1838. Because he had never received formal education, Smith mostly dictated his history verbally to scribes instead of writing it himself. The passages the scribes recorded were later rewritten in the first person, so as to be from Smith's point of view. It was 2,000 pages long in its entirety. extracted excerpts from the History of the Church and published them in 1851, hoping that the selection would "increase the members' ability to defend the faith." The motion was brought forth by George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith. These opening verses display Smith's personal search for knowledge and his becoming convinced that an answer from God directly was required in order to know which church to join. Verses 5 through 20 then comprise one of the four accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision, in which he testifies of having seen God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ:<blockquote>"...I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—'<nowiki/>This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!'"
— Joseph Smith—History, verses 16-17</blockquote>These verses in Joseph Smith–History are the only official, canonized version of the First Vision. He then tells about the visitation of the angel Moroni and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
Religious significance
Since its canonization, Joseph Smith–History has become "a foundational piece of literature for the [LDS] Church." It inspired a tradition of record keeping in Mormon culture and the church itself. Besides the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith–History is a "major literary tool of conversion... that has thoroughly benefitted missionary efforts worldwide."