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Owing to the many reports which had been put in circulation by evil-disposed and designing persons, in relation to the rise and progress of the Church of Christ,
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All of which have been designed by the authors thereof to militate against its character as a Church and its progress in the world,
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I have been induced to write this history, to ease the public mind, and put all inquirers after truth into possession of the facts, as they have transpired, in relation both to myself and the Church, so far as I have such facts in my possession.
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In this history I shall present the various events in relation to this Church, in truth and righteousness, as they have transpired, or as they at present exist, being now the eighth year since the organization of said Church.
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¶ I was born in the town of Sharon in the State of Vermont North America on the 23rd day of December, AD 1805 of goodly parents who spared no pains to instruct me in the Christian religion.
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At the age of about ten years my father, Joseph Smith Sr., moved to Palmyra Ontario County in the State of New York.
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Being in indigent circumstances, we were obliged to labor hard for the support of a large Family having nine children.
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As it required the exertions of all that were able to render any assistance for the support of the family, we were therefore deprived of the benefit of an education.
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Suffice it to say I was merely instructed in reading and writing and the ground rules of Arithmetic which constituted my whole literary acquirements.
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¶ Sometime in the second year after our removal to Manchester, at about the age of twelve years, there was in the place where we lived unusual excitement on the subject of religion.
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It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country.
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Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, Lo here! and others, Lo, there!
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Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist.
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For notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased.
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Yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real;
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For a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued, priest contending against priest and convert against convert;
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So that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.
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¶ During this time of great excitement, my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness;
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But though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit.
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I was at this time in my fifteenth year.
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My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely my mother Lucy; my brothers Hyrum, and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.
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In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them;
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But so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.
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My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant.
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The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error.
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On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.
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In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions I said to myself, what is to be done?
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Which of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?
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¶ My mind had now become seriously impressed with regard to the all-important concerns of for the well fare of my immortal Soul; which led me to search the scriptures, believing as I was taught, that they contained the Word of God.
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Thus, applying myself to them and my intimate acquaintance with those of different denominations led me to marvel exceedingly;
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For I discovered that these professors of religion were not adorning their profession by a holy walk and Godly conversations agreeable to what I found contained in that sacred depository.
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This was a grief to my Soul.
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¶ Thus, from the age of twelve years to fifteen I pondered many things in my heart concerning the situation of the world of mankind, the contentions and divisions, the wickedness and abominations, and the darkness which pervaded the minds of mankind.
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My mind become exceedingly distressed, for I become convinced of my sins.
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By searching the scriptures, I found that mankind did not come unto the Lord; but that they had apostatized from the true and living faith.
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There was no society or denomination that built upon the Gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in the New Testament.
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I felt to mourn for my own sins and for the sins of the world;
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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.
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I looked upon the sun, the glorious luminary of the earth, and also the moon, rolling in their majesty through the heavens, and also the stars shining in their courses;
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And the earth also upon which I stood, and the beasts 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 majesty;
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And in the strength of beauty whose power and intelligence in governing the things which are so exceedingly great and marvelous even in the likeness of him who created them.
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And when I considered upon these things my heart exclaimed: Well hath the wise man said: ‘It is a fool that saith in his heart there is no God.
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My heart exclaimed, All these bear testimony and bespeak an omnipotent and omnipresent power, a being who maketh Laws and decrees, and bindeth all things in their bounds, who filleth Eternity, who was and is and will be from all Eternity to Eternity.
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And when I considered all these things and that that being seeketh such to worship him as worship him in Spirit and in Truth.
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¶ While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads:
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¶ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
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¶ Never did any passage of Scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine.
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It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart.
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I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did;
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For how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know;
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For the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passage of Scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.
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At length I game to the conclusion that I must either remain in darkness and confusion, or else I must do as James directs, that is, ask of God.