THIRTEEN........................................................................................................................................
(1818)
Joseph wrestled with the religious sentiment of the day and the conflicting responses of his family
members. He also experienced the religious hypocrisy that later required him to withhold the true
account of the First Visitation and instead provide stumbling blocks for the LDS people, thus
fulfilling his role as a true messenger who did not disclose his identity.The Perfect Classroom Environment
To ensure that Joseph had not only the capabilities, but also the inner strength and
motivation to perform his role throughout the duration of his life, the Smith family’s
relocation to the area of the United States around Palmyra, New York could not have
provided a better classroom environment for a soon-to-be teenager. As mentioned, Palmyra
was a hotbed of religious revivalism in the early 1800’s. While critics are quick to point out
there was no recorded revival in the area in 1820, one must consider that Joseph, in looking
back over this period of his life, when his account of the events of 1820 were written (1838),
was only considering the larger context of this period of time within the mindset of
adolescence. Furthermore, most of the people in this area had strong opinions about religion
that they freely imposed on anyone with an ear—whether they liked it or not. Significant
revivals were said to have occurred in 1817 and 1824 and to a lesser importance in 1819.^1
Undoubtedly, this religiosity grated badly on young Joseph, whose contemplative
mind was coming to the conclusion that unsolicited opinions and revivalism were useless
speech and disconcerting to his inner being. With the polarizing influence of this
environment on each of the Smith family members, one can only imagine the mental state of
a thirteen-year-old boy in the “righteous” fervor of this community. He adored his
thoughtful (though drunken) father and his atheist brother, Alvin; yet he struggled with his
mother (although he loved her dearly) because of her radical religious views and how she
imposed them on his father, who was more passive and uncommitted concerning religion.
Yes, Lucy Mack was the religious one. Her desire to fit in with everyone else kept her
forever searching for the religious clique that would accept and value her.^2 But how would a
thirteen-year-old boy reconcile his respective feelings towards each of his parents, while
witnessing the outrageous effects of religion on the people in his community? Naturally,
Joseph was developing his own unique views during this important adolescent time.
The Hypocrisy of Religion
At that time, it was a common occurrence for many to claim to have had a vision,
seen God or Jesus, or to have been wrought upon by the Holy Ghost or the devil himself.
People “spoke in tongues” and reported miracles in healing, each claiming to receive a
manifestation of God’s knowledge and acceptance as worthy recipients of His love and
mercy. In addition, preachers were claiming their own authority and interpreting the Bible
in whatever way needed to ensure that their churches were filled each Sunday and that their
collection plates were brimming with donations.^3