Better Information

Raw Information about the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Original documents and sources

Joining the Methodist Church Full Source External Link Joseph Smith the Prophet His Family and His Friends, pg 80 Joseph and Hiel Lewis Account Hiel and Joseph Lewis 23 Apr, 1879    "...While Smith was in Harmony he made the above statements, in our presence, to Rev. N. Lewis. It was here, also, that he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church. He presented himself in a very serious and humble manner, and the minister, not suspecting evil, put his name on the class-book in the absence of some of the official members, among whom was the undersigned, Joseph Lewis, who, when he learned what was done, took with him Joshua McKune and had a talk with Smith. We told him plainly that such a character as he was a disgrace to the church; that he could not be a member of it unless he broke off his sins by repentance, made public confession, renounced his fraudulent and hypocritical practices, and gave some evidence that he intended to reform and conduct himself somewhat nearer like a christian than he had done. We gave him his choice, to go before the class and publicly ask to have his name stricken from the class-book, or stand a disciplinary investigation; he chose the former, and immediately withdrew his name. So his name as a member of the class was on the book only three days. It was the general opinion that his only object in joining the church was to bolster up his reputation and gain the sympathy and help of christians; that is, putting on the cloak of religion to serve the devil in."    When interrogated as to the time of Joe's joining the Methodist Church, Mr. Hiel Lewis wrote back that it was in June, 1828. No Preview Available External Link Amboy Journal, May 21, 1879, Vol 24, No 8 Rebuttal by Edwin Cadwell Elder Edwin Cadwell 21 May, 1879    Messrs. Lewis say Joseph joined the M. E. church, but that "his name was on the (class) book only three days." A very short "probation" indeed! Now Mr. Morse says he was the "leader" of the said "class," and that to his certain knowledge Smith's name remained on the class book (his wife had been a member since she was seven years of age) for about six months, when it was simply "dropped" as Smith did not seek to become a full member. The "class leader" ought to know best... (Note:  No images of this source are available online. Please contact me if you have any information.) No Preview Available External Link Amboy Journal, June 11, 1879, Vol 24, No 11 Joseph Lewis Second Account Joseph Lewis 11 Jun, 1879    With regard to Smith's joining the M. E. Church, Messrs. Cadwell and Morse have undertaken to make it appear that we misrepresented the case. The facts are these: I, with Joshua McKune, a local preacher at that time, I think in June, 1828, heard on Saturday, that Joe Smith had joined the church on Wednesday afternoon, (as it was customary in those days to have circuit preaching at my father's house on week-day). We thought it was a disgrace to the church to have a practicing necromancer, a dealer in enchantments and bleeding ghosts, in it. So on Sunday we went to father's, the place of meeting that day, and got there in season to see Smith and talked with him some time in father's shop before the meeting. Told him that his occupation, habits, and moral character were at variance with the discipline, that his name would be a disgrace to the church, that there should have been recantation, confession and at least promised reformation. -- That he could that day publicly ask that his name be stricken from the class book, or stand an investigation. He chose the former, and did that very day make the request that his name be taken off the class book. Michael B. Morse to the contrary notwithstanding. And if said Morse was leader at that time, and Smith's name remained on the class-book six months, the class leader carelessly or wickedly neglected his duty. (Note:  No images of this source are available online. Please contact me if you have any information.) No Preview Available External Link Amboy Journal, Jul 2, 1879, Vol 24, No 14 Final Statement by James Cobb James Thornton Cobb 2 Jul, 1879    Mr. Morse is authority for the statement that Joseph remained as a probationer upon his class book for six months at Harmony, Pa. Morse being at the time the class leader in the church, Methodist Episcopal, of Rev. Nathaniel Lewis, and himself taking [off?] Smith's name, in June, 1828! This fact, now for the first time brought to light, has a most important bearing (as Elder Blair will not fail to have noticed) upon the divine mission of the prophet Joseph, as the event occurred after that tremendous vision, or rather the pretense of it, upon which the whole superstructure of Mormonism rests, in which Smith says the Father and Son appeared to him and told him all the churches were wrong and "an abomination," and twice forbade him to join any of them. He joined this church, or essayed to join it, but was prevented -- even after he had obtained the plates, and was well along in the work of translating! (Note:  No images of this source are available online. Please contact me if you have any information.) Full Source External Link Mormonism Unvailed, E.D. Howe, pg 266 Nathaniel Lewis Statement Nathaniel C. Lewis, Affirmed and Subscribed before Charles Dimon 20 Mar, 1834    I have been acquainted with Joseph Smith Jr. for some time: being a relation of his wife, and residing near him, I have had frequent opportunities of conversation with him, and of knowing his opinions and pursuits. From my standing in the Methodist Episcopal Church, I suppose he was careful how he conducted or expressed himself before me.

kimballthenom@yahoo.com