Without Disclosing My True Identity
(^21) Now known as The Community of Christ, headquartered in Independence, Missouri.
(^22) For example, both main groups, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and The
Community of Christ, maintain extensive archives of many early documents relating to Joseph Smith,
the First Vision, the organization of a church, as well as many letters, diaries, journals, and minute
books. However, not all of these materials are available to scholars or the public to examine.
(^23) JSH 1:30–50.
(^24) TSP, 584–7. (“How I Received the Gold Plates of Mormon.”)
(^25) The account wasn’t made public until published in the Church-owned periodical, Times and
Seasons 3 (15 Mar. 1842): 726–8; and 3 (1 Apr. 1842): 748–9.
(^26) Dean C. Jessee, ed., The Papers of Joseph Smith, Vol. 1, Autobiographical and Historical Writing
(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1989) 27–9; and Dean C. Jessee, ed., The Papers of Joseph Smith, Vol. 2,
Journals, 1832–1842 (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1992) 68–79.
(^27) D&C,121:34–5.
(^28) D&C,68:31.
(^29) TPJS, 119.
(^30) BOM, 2 Nephi 9:42.
(^31) See n. 30.
(^32) Compare n. 30.
(^33) BOM, 2 Nephi 9:42–3.
(^34) Hamilton Gardner, “Nauvoo Legion, 1840–1845—a unique military organization,” Journal
of the Illinois State Historical Society 54 (Summer 1961) 181–97.
(^35) See Matthew 5:25, 38–9, 43–5; or BOM, 3 Nephi 12:25, 38–9, 43–5; D&C, 20:8–9; 76:14.
(^36) BOM, Mosiah 3:19.
(^37) Compare n. 36.
(^38) BOM, Alma 24.
(^39) Matthew 5:44 and BOM, 3 Nephi 12:44.
(^40) Looking at those early “saints” in hindsight, it is easy to see how the “natural man” fights
to protect family, possessions, and religion. However, Christ’s teachings, which Joseph Smith, Jr.
tried to get them to understand, were in contradiction to this “natural man’s” behavior. See note 35.
(^41) See Harold Schindler, Orin Porter Rockwell: Man of God, Son of Thunder (Salt Lake City:
University of Utah P, 1966).
(^42) D&C, 121:35.
(^43) BOM, 2 Nephi 9:42.
(^44) BOM, 2 Nephi 3:9.
(^45) TSP, 635. (Appendix 3, “The First Vision Introduction.”)
(^46) BOM, Alma 12:9–11.
(^47) D&C, 20:1.
(^48) See n. 17 above.
(^49) BOM, Jacob 4:14.
(^50) JSH 1:14–20.
(^51) BOM, 3 Nephi, chapters 9–30.
(^52) Compare JSH 1:15–17 and BOM, 3 Nephi 8:20; 11:7–8.
(^53) HR, 8:10–11.
(^54) Compare JSH 1:15–17 and BOM, 3 Nephi 8:20; 11:7–8; see also BOM, Mosiah 15:2–4.
(^55) SNS, 115.
(^56) “‘Brethren, if I were to tell you all I know of the kingdom of God, I do know that you
would rise up and kill me.’ Brother Brigham arose and said, ‘Don’t tell me anything that I can’t bear,
for I don’t want to apostatize.’” (As recalled by Parley P. Pratt, “Reminiscences of the Church in
Nauvoo,” Millennial Star 55 [Sept. 4 1893]: 585.)