In the midst of the Second Great Awakening of 1820, a young boy named Joseph Smith stood forth with a claim that two glorious personages appeared to him in the woods and declared none of the churches in the land contained the fullness of the truth. What followed was the founding of one of the most controversial and compelling religious movements in American history.

In this rich in-depth study, author Matthew B. Brown helps the reader realize the First Vision more fully by placing events in historical context, answering criticisms, and comparing and contrasting the various recitals of the First Vision. Brown also shows the remarkable harmony that exists between the accounts as well as the minor differences in the retellings.