about fourteen years of age I began to reflect upon the importance
of being prepared for a future state, and upon enquiring [of] the
plan of salvation I found that there was a great clash in
religious sentiment; if I went to one society they referred me to
one plan, and another to another, each one pointing to his own
particular creed as the summum bonum of perfection: considering
that all could not be right, and that God could not be the author
of so much confusion I determined to investigate the subject more
fully, believing that if God had a church it would not be split up
into factions, and that if he taught one society to worship one
way, and administer in one set of ordinances, He would not teach
another, principles which were diametrically opposed. Believing
the word of God I had confidence in the declaration of James; "If
any man lack wisdom let him ask of God who giveth to all men
liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him," I retired
to a secret place in a grove and began to call upon the Lord,
while fervently engaged in supplication my mind was taken away
from the objects with which I was surrounded, and I was enwrapped
in a heavenly vision and saw two glorious personages who exactly
resembled each other in features and likeness, surrounded with a
brilliant light which eclipsed the sun at noon-day. They told me
that all religious denominations were believing in incorrect
doctrines and that none of them was acknowledged of God as His
Church and kingdom. And I was expressly commanded to "go not after
them," at the same time receiving a promise that the fullness of
the gospel should at some future time be made known unto me.

On the evening of the 21st of September, A.D. 1823, while I was
praying unto God, and endeavoring to exercise faith in the
precious promises of scripture on a sudden a light like that of