I don't know if this has been pointed out on this forum or elsewhere before, but it's a new discovery I just made on my own. In addition to the numerous other historical inconsistencies and botchings in the canonical Joseph Smith history, I've discovered the following problem with Joe's account of the morning after the alleged angelic visit. You know, when he fainted trying to climb over the fence and all...

Here's the canonical account (penned in 1838):

"I shortly after arose from my bed, and, as usual, went to the necessary labors of the day; but, in attempting to work as at other times, I found my strength so exhausted as to render me entirely unable. My father, who was laboring along with me, discovered something to be wrong with me, and told me to go home. I started with the intention of going to the house; but, in attempting to cross the fence out of the field where we were, my strength entirely failed me, and I fell helpless on the ground, and for a time was quite unconscious of anything... I returned to my father in the field, and rehearsed the whole matter to him. He replied to me that it was of God, and told me to go and do as commanded by the messenger."

Now, here's the account from William Smith (penned in 1883):

"The next day I was at work in the field together with Joseph and my eldest brother Alvin. Joseph looked pale and unwell, so that Alvin told him if he was sick he need not work; he then went and sat down by the fence, when the angel again appeared to him... He accordingly asked us to come to the house, as he had something to tell us."

A couple of red flags shoot up. First, William doesn't say that their father was in the field with them, or include him into the story at all. Instead, in William's version Joseph doesn't say anything until the family is gathered. Secondly, William claims Joseph sat down by the fence, nothing about fainting. Remember, William claims to have been there, and that nobody else was except for Alvin.

Also note that Joseph Smith Sr. never said anything about this encounter to anyone (that I'm aware of). Interesting that the first time anyone records having heard Joseph say anything related to his prophethood was after he had gone back into the house that day and gathered the family. I would think Joseph Sr.'s account would be significant.

Lastly, here is Lucy Mack's account of what happened (penned in 1844-45):

"The next he and Alvin were reaping in the field togather Joseph stopped and seemed to be in a deep study for sometime Alvin hurried saying Joseph we must keep to work or we shall not get our task done Joseph worked again dilligently then stopped in the same way when Saw that he was very pale and urged him to go to the house and tell his mother that he was sick he went a short distance till he came to a green sward under an apple tree here he lay down for he was so weak he could go no farther... Joseph then promised to do as he was told by the angel and rose up and went to his brother Alvin and requested Alvin to go to the house and ask his Father to come to the field for said he I have something to tell him when his Father when to him Joseph rehearsed to him all that he had and seen and heard When Joseph came in the evening he told the family all that he had made known to his father in the field we sat up up very late and listened attentively to all that he had to say to us but his mind had been so exercised that he became very much fatigued When Alvin saw this he said now brother let us go to bed and we will get up early in the morning and go to work so as to finish our days labor by an hour before sunset & if Mother will get our suppers early we will then have a fine long evening to all set down and hear you talk"

Now keeping in mind that Lucy wasn't actually in the field working, her claim of Joseph Sr. being in the field is not entire reliable. However, unlike Joseph Jr.'s account, she does place Alvin there, just like William did. So, since her account is second-hand in nature, it seems likely she was trying to reconcile her own memory with Joseph's account he had written just a few years earlier. Notice also how she later states that Joseph requested Alvin to go get his father from inside the house. Why would Joseph Sr. come out from the house if he was already working in the field?

It's also noteworthy that Lucy agrees with William more or less that Joseph laid down of his own will, and didn't faint.

Now make a third note - Lucy claims that Joseph didn't relate his experience to the family until the evening. This means that Joseph did not tell the story the morning after he awoke... or rather stayed awake, but he did it several hours later the next evening. We can also date the first time anyone records having ever heard Joseph say anything related to his prophetic mission, the evening of September 22nd. And our most reliable explanation of how that went says "his mind had been so exercised that he became very much fatigued."

I'm sorry, but it sounds to me like he was bumbling like an idiot. I know how he felt. It's mentally exhausting when you're trying to fabricate a lie on the spot. Fortunately, Joseph's family gave him some leeway (for being tired) and let him have another full day to think about it before entirely hearing him out, in the evening on September 23rd.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/2011 04:38PM by kimball.

I know the word "rehearsed" may have had a different meaning back then, but in the context I find it...amusing.

Don't ya also get the feeling he was a bit of a lazy sod, and, hey, what better way to get outta work than by saying an angel kept you up half the night?

It's also funny how mormons like to use the claim by Josiah Stowell that Joseph was a hard worker... but ignore the fact that Stowell hired Joseph to look into his hat and tell him where the Spanish treasure was (not to mention Stowell thought Joseph did a fine job at it). I'll agree with them, I bet he worked hard at that!

But he did do manual labor, as was necessary to his position in life. The 1500 Smith family maple trees needed a lot of work walking around and collecting the syrup cans.

of fraud, for which there are actual documents to show. Ouch for the morg.

We also know that Joseph was well-known as hating hard manual labor, hence his entrepreneurship involved peeking in a hat to find treasure, and if he was required to dig for it, he accepted the money, but claimed it was moved by spirits.

That's the ticket.

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