Joseph Smith, the Calling of a Prophet

The question posed at the end of Post #1 was in the mind of a fourteen year old boy living in the “burned over” district of Western New York in 1820. Joseph Smith was reared in a Christ-believing family that was itself not united on the question of which church in their vicinity was true? The members of his family after investigating the existing churches had answered the question variously. While reading in the Epistle of James chapter one verse five, he found this counsel: “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." Impressed that he needed personal direction in order that he might determine which church was the one he should join, he went into the woods near his home in the spring of 1820 and prayed. In response to his humble plea for understanding, he was visited by God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ. In this vision, the Father introduced his Son. In turn, the Lord informed the young lad that he was to join none of the existing churches, for they were all false. He was told “many other things” including, apparently, that he was to be patient until he received further direction as to the nature of his life’s work.

As he left the woods that morning and returned to his home, Joseph Smith knew at least two things of which apparently all of the clergy and professors of religion at that moment were ignorant. First, God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ are individual and separate beings. Second, none of the existing churches on the earth were Christ’s Church for He rejected all of them while instructing Joseph Smith. Of their clergy, Christ said, “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof” (Joseph Smith--History 1:19).

It would be years before Joseph Smith would again be approached by a heavenly visitor sent for the purpose of instructing him concerning the role he would eventually play in the restoration of Christ’s Church on the earth.