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HISTORY OF JOSEPH SMITH (1805-1844)
Born in 1805 in Sharon, Vermont, Joseph Smith would
begin just a few years later what would become one of the
world's largest and fastest growing Non-Christian religion.
According to the 'official' story of the LDS Church, in 1820
Smith at age 14 was visited by God the Father and God the
Son after praying about confusion over which church he
should join. He was told by Jesus, he should join
none of them for they were "all wrong" and all the Christian
church's doctrines "were an abomination".
This First Vision was followed by several visits from
an angel named Moroni (pronounced Ma-roe-nie) who, in
1827, allowed Smith to retrieve a set of Golden Plates
which had been buried in a hill near Smith's home in
Palmyra, New York.
Between 1827-1830, Smith, with the help of friends,
translated the Golden Plates into the LDS scripture, the
Book of Mormon. Published in 1830, this was to become
the first of many scriptures for the Mormon Church. By this
time, Smith had also officially organized the LDS Church and
was gaining a following. Over the next ten years the church
headquarters would move to Kirtland, Ohio; Independence,
Missouri and Far West, Missouri. Finally it would find a
resting place in Nauvoo, Illinois between 1839-1844.
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It was in Nauvoo, that many of its more unique
doctrine were to find their beginnings. Nauvoo grew to be
the second largest town in the state. This growth, however,
brought several problems with its neighboring towns.
Problems which would eventually lead to the death of Smith
at Carthage, Illinois on June 27, 1844. After Smith's
murder, several LDS leaders stepped forward to take control
of the Church. Each claimed to have the authority to lead
the Church, and some even claimed Smith had appointed them
to be his successor. This fracturing of the Church has
caused over 100 splinter groups throughout the movement's
history.
God himself was once as we are now,
and is an exalted man,.,.
We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity.
I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may
see.
Joseph Smith
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