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'''Joseph Smith, Jr.''' (1805 - 1844) was the founder and 1st [[President]] of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Joseph Smith was the first [[prophet]], [[seer]] and [[revelator]] of the church. Joseph was born on December 23, 1805 in [[Sharon]], [[Vermont]].  

'''Joseph Smith, Jr.''' (1805 - 1844) was the founder and 1st [[President]] of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]]. Joseph Smith was the first [[prophet]], [[seer]] and [[revelator]] of the church. Joseph was born on December 23, 1805 in [[Sharon]], [[Vermont]].  

==Visions==

==Visions==

[[Image:First Vision.jpg|thumb|125px|Joseph Smith's First Vision]]

[[Image:First Vision.jpg|thumb|125px|Joseph Smith's First Vision according to one of the three accounts that differ on whom was seen]]

After hearing the conflicting claims of different Protestant preachers, Smith studied the Bible for himself.  He decided to ask God which church he should join. In the Spring of 1820, Joseph said that he saw two beings, [[God]] (meaning the Father) and [[Jesus]], in a [[First Vision|vision]].<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,959-1,00.html The First Vision] Mormon.org</ref> Smith claimed to have been repeatedly visited by an [[angel]] named [[Moroni]], from 1823 to 1827. According to Smith's account, Moroni showed him where to find buried gold plates. The plates were said to contain the full gospel of Jesus Christ in "reformed Egyptian." Smith claimed to have translated these gold plates by the inspiration of God, using what he called "Urim and Thummim" (referring to the ancient sacred stones embedded on the breastplate of the high priest of Aaron, that gave information from God) that were also furnished to him for the purpose. He published the translation in 1830 as the [[Book of Mormon]].<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1293-1,00.html Translation of the Book of Mormon] Mormon.org</ref> The plates are not available for examination because, according to Smith, the angel took them after the translation was completed.

After hearing the conflicting claims of different Protestant preachers, Smith studied the Bible for himself.  According to accounts recorded several years later, he decided to ask God which church he should join. In these later accounts, he declared that in the Spring of 1820 he saw a vision of a heavenly being or beings—in the various accounts he gave of the vision, the being or beings were either [[God]] (meaning the Father) alone,  or God and [[Jesus]], or angels without God and Jesus. Because there is no contemporary record of his relating this vision to anyone before 1837, and because of the variance in his different accounts of whom was seen in the vision, historians have conjectured that the story of the [[First Vision]] was invented after the model of the spiritual experience that the famous evangelist Charles Finney. Finney’s account of a profound spiritual experience while he was seeking God in the woods in the fall of 1821 was well known. For a discussion of the variation between Smith’s accounts of which heavenly beings he saw, as well as the question of the historicity of this “first” vision, see the [[First Vision]] page.  

 

Before any account of the First Vision was made public, however, Smith claimed to have been repeatedly visited by an [[angel]] named [[Moroni]], from 1823 to 1827. According to Smith's account, Moroni showed him where to find buried gold plates. The plates were said to contain the full gospel of Jesus Christ in "reformed Egyptian." Smith claimed to have translated these gold plates by the inspiration of God, using what he called "Urim and Thummim" (referring to the ancient sacred stones embedded on the breastplate of the high priest of Aaron, that gave information from God) that were also furnished to him for the purpose. He published the translation in 1830 as the [[Book of Mormon]].<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1293-1,00.html Translation of the Book of Mormon] Mormon.org</ref> The plates are not available for examination because, according to Smith, the angel took them after the translation was completed.

It was claimed that, on May 15, 1829, the resurrected [[John the Baptist]] appeared to Joseph and [[Oliver Cowdery]] and gave them the authority to [[baptism|baptize]].<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1291-1,00.html Authority to baptize] Mormon.org</ref> In 1829 the [[apostle]]s [[Peter]], [[James the Apostle|James]], and [[John]] gave them the authority to restore Christ's Church.<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1292-1,00.html Authority of Apostles] Mormon.org</ref>

It was claimed that, on May 15, 1829, the resurrected [[John the Baptist]] appeared to Joseph and [[Oliver Cowdery]] and gave them the authority to [[baptism|baptize]].<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1291-1,00.html Authority to baptize] Mormon.org</ref> In 1829 the [[apostle]]s [[Peter]], [[James the Apostle|James]], and [[John]] gave them the authority to restore Christ's Church.<ref>[http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,1292-1,00.html Authority of Apostles] Mormon.org</ref>

==Imprisonment and Death==

==Imprisonment and Death==

Smith had been imprisoned in [[Carthage]], [[Illinois]] for destroying the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor, however, he was charged with treason not long after so that he could not post bail. The Expositor had denounced (in its only printed edition) "false doctrines" (for instance the "doctrines of many gods") as well as leveled accusations of immorality and criminal activity. It also called for the repeal of the city charter, which would have removed all legal authority and protection from the city. Smith, the mayor at the time, saw this as libel, as well as dangerous to the city, so he had the printing press burned in the street.  Due to outcry from many of their neighboring cities, he was imprisoned. On June 27th 1844, an angry mob stormed the prison. In an attempt to defend himself (with a pistol which had been smuggled in to him), Smith shot and wounded three men.  He was apparently preparing to jump from the unbarred second floor window where he had been incarcerated, but was shot, causing him to fall injured to the ground below. Four men shot him to death on the ground.  None of the assailants were convicted.  His brother [[Hyrum]] (who was also armed with a pistol) was shot in the face and killed as well. josephsmith.net/portal/site/JosephSmith/menuitem.da0e1d4eb6d2d87f9c0a33b5f1e543a0/?vgnextoid=ad10001cfb340010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0 Martyr for God] JosephSmith.net</ref>

Smith had been imprisoned in [[Carthage]], [[Illinois]] for destroying the printing press of the Nauvoo Expositor, however, he was charged with treason not long after so that he could not post bail. The Expositor had denounced (in its only printed edition) "false doctrines" (for instance the "doctrines of many gods") as well as leveled accusations of immorality and criminal activity. It also called for the repeal of the city charter, which would have removed all legal authority and protection from the city. Smith, the mayor at the time, saw this as libel, as well as dangerous to the city, so he had the printing press burned in the street.  Due to outcry from many of their neighboring cities, he was imprisoned. On June 27th 1844, an angry mob stormed the prison. In an attempt to defend himself (with a pistol which had been smuggled in to him), Smith shot and wounded three men.  He was apparently preparing to jump from the unbarred second floor window where he had been incarcerated, but was shot, causing him to fall injured to the ground below. Four men shot him to death on the ground.  None of the assailants were convicted.  His brother [[Hyrum]] (who was also armed with a pistol) was shot in the face and killed as well. <ref>[http://www.josephsmith.net/portal/site/JosephSmith/menuitem.da0e1d4eb6d2d87f9c0a33b5f1e543a0/?vgnextoid=ad10001cfb340010VgnVCM1000001f5e340aRCRD&locale=0 Martyr for God] JosephSmith.net</ref>

==References==

==References==