Specific works/Joseph Smith and the Origins of The Book of Mormon/Index/Chapter 2

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Claims made in "Chapter 1: A Romancer of the First Water"

A FAIR Analysis of: Specific works/Joseph Smith and the Origins of The Book of Mormon A work by author: David Persuitte

Claims made in "Chapter 3: The Prophet in His Own Country"

Claims made in "Chapter 2: Visions and Revivals"

Page	Claim	Response	Author's sources
20	The author claims that the Church "recently abrogated the Negro Doctrine."		No source provided.
21	According to Fawn Brodie, there is no record of anyone persecuting Joseph for telling the story of the First Vision until 1840.		Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945). ( Index of claims )
22	There is no mention of the First Vision in any anti-Mormon or non-Mormon publications before 1843.
22	Joseph's 1832 account mentions his "sixteenth year."
22	Joseph's 1832 account does mention a religious excitement.
22	Joseph's 1832 account only mentions one personage appearing.
23	Joseph's 1835 account does not mention a religious "revival."
23	The author notes that in Joseph's 1835 account, that "[o]ne of these personages testified that 'Jesus Christ is the Son of God.' The author concludes: "This would indicate that the two personage were not supposed to be God and Jesus, but simply angels." A later 1835 journal entry mentions a "visitation of angels."
23	In 1834, Oliver Cowdery described the visit of Moroni as Joseph's "first" vision.
24	Oliver said that in 1823 that Joseph wasn't sure that a supreme being existed.	Joseph Smith did not know if God existed in 1823?
24	The author claims that if Joseph had actually seen the Father and Son, that he would not have fallen into "vices and follies" afterward, and that it should have had a "soul-piercing and uplifting effect" on him.		Author's opinion.
25	Oliver reported that Joseph's mother and siblings joined the Presbyterian church in 1823, rather than 1820.	First Vision/Lucy Mack Smith and the Presbyterians
25	The author claims that "Mormon apologists" say that Joseph was not with Oliver during the time that he was writing his account, yet the History of the Church shows that the two men were "frequently together during this period."
25	"Mormon apologists" have proposed that there were two revivals: one in 1820 and another in 1823, but the Rev. Wesley P. Walters has proven that a revival did not occur between 1819 and 1823 in the vicinity of Palmyra.
25	Oliver mentioned Rev. Lane in connection with the 1820 religious excitement, but Lane states that the revival started in 1824.
26	Lucy and her children are claimed to have joined the Presbyterian church during the 1824 revival, rather than in 1820.	Lucy Mack Smith and the Presbyterians	William Smith
27	William mentioned a revival in 1823 rather than 1824. The author speculates that this is "probably the result of his adhering to Joseph's original scenario for the 'second' vision."
27	The author claims that Joseph's mother indicated that she didn't join the Presbyterian church until after 1820.	Lucy Mack Smith and the Presbyterians
28	Joseph refused to attend church meetings after Alvin's death. The author claims that the reason for Joseph not wanting to attend was not because he had been commanded not to do so by the Lord, since he didn't state that as the reason.
29	According to the author, the fact that Lucy and her children attended church after Joseph had been commanded not to join any of them shows the "apparent disregard of these family members for the sentiments of the Lord."	Lucy Mack Smith and the Presbyterians	Author's opinion.