Dating the First Vision

So, I am still planning on finishing my Book of Mormon Witnesses series. Right now, I have completed three posts for each of the Three Witnesses with the others forthcoming. For anyone who missed them, I would recommend you check them out.

I am doing this post right now to get it out before General Conference, which will be the 200th Anniversary Celebration of the First Vision. Unfortunately with the virus outbreak and school wrapping up, I have been too busy to do everything I wanted to, and this is coming out only a day before Conference. If I had had time and opportunity, I would have put this out sooner, so please forgive me.

DATING THE VISION

In recent years, some scholars have attempted to date the greatest theophany in these latter days. Part of this, I believe, comes from our desire as Latter-day Saints to maintain our heritage and keep true and accurate records. Another part of this desire could be based in apologetic means — if, for example, we can prove the historicity of the First Vision, the rest of Joseph's prophetic call naturally follows.

I am aware at the moment of three different hypotheses as to when Joseph went into a grove to pray. There probably are more, but today I wanted to share these three ideas with you as a part of the 200th Year Anniversary of this memorable vision. You might say I am agnostic to any specific date that could be hypothesized. I have my own preference of the three listed that I will keep to myself, but I for one have not ever felt the need to really set a date to this myself. I believe that this day held a very special place in Joseph's heart, and perhaps that is why he did not ever put a date to his vision. He wanted to maintain that sacred privacy he held with God. However, it is very fun to speculate about. So, starting in chronological order, I will briefly talk about the three main theories that have been set forth.

SUNDAY, 26 MARCH 1820

This date was first (as far as I am aware) submitted by John P. Pratt and John C. Lefgren. John P. Pratt based his findings off of evidence from the Enoch calendar, a calendar system found in the pseudopigraphal Book of Enoch that he hypothesizes also testifies of key dates in the life of Jesus Christ and other important dates of the Restoration. John Lefgren was the second to arrive at that date, basing his findings off of weather data from 1820. Now, I want the record to show that I do not agree with everything that John Lefgren has written, especially when it comes to Book of Mormon geography. But this is one conclusion that, I admit, does hold credence.

John Lefgren defines Spring as consisting of the entire months of March, April, and May. So, early Spring would be between 1 March and 15 April. A beautiful day would involve no strong winds, no rain or snow, and moderate temperatures. He also takes into account maple syrup production rates during the year along with any other relative finding that might be useful in ascertaining the weather to arrive at the same conclusion as John P. Pratt has.

John C. Lefgren has an article with John Pratt published in the Meridian Magazine describing their findings that you can read here.

CIRCA SUNDAY, 23 APRIL 1820

The next date I found comes from the late Matthew B. Brown in his book Pillar of Light. Matthew B. Brown was an amazing scholar and had a lot to contribute throughout his life. This is presented by Matthew Brown as more of an approximation, and is based off of some quotes by early Apostles.

Orson Pratt, for instance, remarked that the First Vision occurred when Joseph Smith was "about fourteen years and four months old" (Journal of Discourses 12:353). Fourteen years and four months after Joseph Smith's birth leads to a date of April 23, 1820. Furthermore, Matthew Brown states that Spring began on March 20, 1820 and reached a midpoint by May 5, 1820, putting April 23rd comfortably in "early spring." President Anthon H. Lund in April 1920 also hypothesized late April so that the leaves would be able to grow in order to provide Joseph Smith with the privacy he desired (see Improvement Era, vol. 23 no.6).

LATE MAY OR JUNE, 1820

This last hypothesis doesn't necessarily set a specific date like the others, but does make a definition for early spring to Joseph's eyes that is different than the "early spring" that the other two hypotheses use. Late May through June is a time of the year where most of us would not think to call Spring, let alone early Spring, but it probably would have been normal for Joseph Smith in western New York.

Spring in New York, as defined by the calendar, is pretty cold and snowy. Hardly enough opportunity is found for trees to have "boughs" as Orson Pratt mentions in his 1840 Account or as President Lund theorized (found above). However, if we define springtime as seasonal, then the months of May and June begin to make more sense, and there is the opportunity for the boughs of leaves to grow in.

D. Michael Quinn is the main proponent for this theory, and the logic is sound, based off an appeal to secondhand accounts of the First Vision and seasons in western New York. I for one, first heard it from my Church History professor who had been to New York during March in recent years and saw the possibility of Joseph referring to the seasonal over calendar springtime more likely for the same reason independent of D. Michael Quinn. Even John Lefgren admitted that April did experience snow in 1820, though that doesn't prove or disprove any of these three theories by itself.

CONCLUSION

Like I said earlier, I will not post my public approval for any of the three hypotheses. I have tried to maintain partiality to all of them and hope that I was able to do so adequately. 

I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and God the Son in 1820, regardless of the date. I know that he was forgiven of his sins, as he sought for forgiveness. It does not matter to me what others may say about Joseph Smith. No matter what you believe about Joseph, the fact stands that as you research his life it forces you to your knees to know if Joseph was a Prophet of God.

To conclude, in my Church History professor Alex Baugh's words, you cannot do your homework on the life of Joseph and walk away believing he was not a Prophet. If you do, you did not do your homework. This year, as we celebrate the bicentennial of the First Vision, I hope and pray that we can all grow closer to God through studying this grand theophany.

To read my former post about the different accounts of the First Vision, you can read it here.