Editing First Vision (section)

===Smith's accounts found in later reminiscences===
In the rough draft of her autobiography, Smith's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, describes her son being visited in 1823 by an angel, who told him "...there is not a true church on the Earth," but does not include a First Vision narrative.<ref name="LucySmith1844 3 10">{{harvp|Smith|1844–1845|loc=[https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/lucy-mack-smith-history-1844-1845/40 bk. 3, p. 10]}}</ref> The fair copy of the autobiography, prepared under Lucy's direction by the scribe who had also penned the rough draft, includes in the narrative a copy of the 1838 version of the First Vision from ''Times and Seasons''.{{sfnp|Smith|1845|p=73}}{{sfnp|Smith|2001|pp=138, 335}}

Late in his life, Smith's brother [[William Smith (Mormonism)|William]] gave two accounts of the First Vision, dating it to 1823,{{sfnp|Smith|1883|pp=6–8}} when William was twelve years old. William said the religious excitement in Palmyra had occurred in 1822–23 (rather than the actual date of 1824–25);{{sfnp|Persuitte|2000|p=26}} that it was stimulated by the preaching of a Methodist, the Rev. George Lane, a "great revival preacher"; and that his mother and some of his siblings had then joined the Presbyterian church.{{sfnp|Smith|1883|p=6}}

William Smith said he based his account on what Joseph had told William and the rest of his family the day after the First Vision:<ref name="Smith 1883 6, 8–9">{{Harvnb|Smith|1883|pp=6, 8–9}}</ref>

<blockquote>[A] light appeared in the heavens, and descended until it rested upon the trees where he was. It appeared like fire. But to his great astonishment, did not burn the trees. An angel then appeared to him and conversed with him upon many things. He told him that none of the sects were right; but that if he was faithful in keeping the commandments he should receive, the true way should be made known to him; that his sins were forgiven, etc.<ref name="Smith 1883 6, 8–9"/></blockquote>

In an 1884 account, William also stated that when Joseph first saw the light above the trees in the grove, he fell unconscious for an undetermined amount of time, after which he awoke and heard "the personage whom he saw" speak to him.<ref>{{Harvnb|Smith|1884}}</ref>