Joseph Smith's First Vision: Confirming Evidences and Contemporary Accounts

by Milton V. Backman

One of the most significant religious events in the history of mankind occurred in the spring of 1820 in a beautiful grove located near the Finger Lakes of western New York. While engaged in a fervent quest for religious truth, Joseph Smith beheld a glorious vision that altered his life and inaugurated a new religious era—the dispensation of the fullness of times.

Joseph Smith’s First Vision: Confirming Evidences and Contemporary Accounts unfolds the historical background surrounding this significant religious event and uses historical facts and accounts to confirm and bear testimony to the events which changed our world.

Genres: History, Religion

227 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1980

Reviews

[Daniel S Sellers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently documented history

I read the Book hoping to get a better understanding of the life and times of Joseph Smith Jr., the founding Prophet of the Latter-day Saints Church.
I was not disappointed. Documentation is extensive.

[Amanda Parry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Brandon Burrup · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit too much about the history of Palmyra and not enough about Joseph Smith and his vision. I did highly appreciate the Appendices which contain many of the actual accounts.

[Cherie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well researched treatise on the history of the area of New York where the young Joseph Smith lived, on the religions in the area at the time, and on the various accounts that were given by Joseph himself during his life of the "First Vision." It really helped me to understand better his claims of the "religious excitement" in the general area and of the differences in the doctrine that were being preached. This is a very worthwhile study, and has only strengthened my testimony of Joseph Smith.

[Jeff Crosby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked Backman as a teacher. This was groundbreaking at the time it was written. The subject here has been expanded by the Joseph Smith papers.