Accounts of Joseph Smith's First Vision/1844 (Alexander Neibaur account)

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Alexander Neibaur's 1844 account of the First Vision

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Alexander Neibaur Journal, 24 May 1844

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“’He wanted to get Religion too wanted to feel & shout like the Rest but could feel nothing, opened his Bible the first Passage that struck him was if any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men liberallity & upbraidat not [James 1. 5] went into the Wood to pray kneelt himself down his tongue was closet cleavet to his roof—could utter not a word, felt easier after a while = saw a fire towards heaven came near & nearer saw a personage in the fire light complexion blue eyes a piece of white cloth drawn over his shoulders his right arm bear after a wile a other person came to the side of the first Mr Smith then asked must I join the Methodist Church….’” [in Dean C. Jessee, The Papers of Joseph Smith, volume I: Autobiographical and Historical Writings (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book Company): 461; in Allen, 1966: 43-4]