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1820.

JOSEPH INCLINED TO THINK SERIOUSLY UPON RELIGION—UNDECIDED AS TO WHICH CHURCH TO JOIN—GETS LIGHT FROM THE BIBLE—HIS FIRST PRAYER—ANSWERED BY A GLORIOUS VISION.

Joseph was fourteen years old at the time of the revival. He was large for his age and inclined to be serious in his thoughts. With the other members of his family he took great interest in religion and felt it his duty to join some church and thereby be saved. But which church should he join? That was very hard for the boy to answer. The other members of the family decided that the Presbyterians were right, and the mother, with Hyrum, Samuel and Sophronia joined their church. This made Joseph very uneasy, because he was inclined to believe with the Methodists, and the feeling between these two sects was very bitter.

His mind became greatly excited sometimes, for he felt that he ought to do something to gain salvation, and yet he could not decide what was right to do. He felt sure that all the churches could not be true, for if they were they would unite to help each other instead of trying to do each other harm. He thought that he should not join any church until he knew the right one, and so he waited.

Joseph was only fourteen years old and did not have a good education, but he could read the Bible and could understand many of the truths written there. He made a practice of comparing the teachings of the ministers that were seeking to convert him with the teachings of Jesus and His Apostles. This made him all the more doubtful, for he saw that they did not entirely agree.

He was certainly in great difficulty, but he persevered and at last found a way out. In his Bible he came upon a passage that was written for him and for all who need light. It is in the first chapter of the Apostle James' epistle to the Saints, the fifth verse: "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." Those words sank deep into his heart. He thought them over again and again, and at length made up his mind to obey them and pray for wisdom. In the sixth and seventh verses James tells that we must not waver if we wish to receive anything from the Lord. Joseph probably read these verses too, for when he made up his mind to seek wisdom he was full of hope that the Lord would hear him.

It was morning, early in the spring of 1820. The sky was clear, the air cool and refreshing, and all was beautiful. Green woods surrounded the home of Joseph, and to them he took his way alone. He found a suitable spot and looked around to make sure that no one was near. Then he kneeled down, and for the first time in his life sought the Lord in vocal prayer.

He had barely begun when an unseen power seized him and made him speechless. All grew frightfully dark, and he felt as though he were about to be destroyed. He realized that it was the awful power of the evil one, and he called on God to save him. But his strength was fast giving way and sickening despair was taking possession of him, when a pillar of divine light appeared above him and the prince of darkness fled.

The light descended, and within it Joseph beheld two radiant beings, too glorious and beautiful to be described. They looked just alike to him and appeared to have equal splendor and authority, until one of them, pointing to the other, said, "JOSEPH, THIS IS MY BELOVED SON, HEAR HIM."

The humble boy was almost overcome by the glory of the vision before him, and he could not at once continue his prayer for light. But the kindliness and love of the Father and of the Lord Jesus gave him assurance and he was at length able to speak. He asked which church was right that he might join it, and even in the glory of the vision he was surprised, for the divine instruction came that all were wrong.

Jesus said that all their creeds were an abomination in His sight; that those professors were all corrupt; they drew near Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him; they taught for doctrine the commandments of men, having a form of godliness but they denied the power thereof. He told Joseph that he should join none of them, but at some future time the true Gospel would be revealed to him. Other words of comfort and wisdom were spoken, and then the vision withdrew.

When Joseph came to himself he was lying on the ground looking up into heaven. He was filled with a spirit of peace and joy, for now he knew that he would yet be taught how he might save his soul. He knew that God and Jesus were living beings with bodies which his own resembled. He knew that they sympathized with him, and loved him, and oh, how intensely did he love them! He rose and returned home feeling that he had a glad message for mankind, which they would rejoice to hear.