click photos to enlarge

Many new trees have taken root in the Sacred Grove and are nurtured by the great and ancient ones.

Introduction

I love to walk slowly through the Sacred Grove.  I love to meditate and ponder the First Vision.  I love to try to think like the young farm boy, Joseph Smith.  Where would he have come in the grove to pray?  What were the words he uttered in his first verbal prayer?  Was the First Vision recorded in some way on the ancient trees of the Sacred Grove?  Did Joseph weep when he saw the Father and the Son?

On Saturday, October 11, 2003 I was blessed with an outpouring of beautiful weather in my walk through the Sacred Grove.  Last week I walked with you from the small Smith Cabin at the north end of the 100 acres to the entrance of the Sacred Grove.  Today I will take you through the Sacred Grove as I saw it.  The pictures, save one, and you will know which one it is, are in chronological order as I shot them.  This will be as if you were there with me.  I also encourage you to click on each picture to enlarge it.

Below I have included the text of the 1838 account of the First Vision.  This account is the most widely read of the four primary sources.  I know that most of you have read this many times, but I commend you to read it again as we walk through the Sacred Grove now together.

Early morning sun, here obscured by a large tree, begins to flood the Sacred Grove.

The 1838 Account

“Some time in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, ‘Lo, here!’ and others, ‘Lo, there!’ Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist.

Sun slowly peeks around the side of a large tree and brings more and more light to the forest floor.

“For, notwithstanding the great love which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more pretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued—priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.

Each part of the Sacred Grove has its own look and play of light.

“I was at this time in my fifteenth year. My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.

“During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them; but so great were the confusion and strife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was right and who was wrong.

Some of the oldest trees of the Sacred Grove have recently fallen to the ground.

“My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.

The trees of the Sacred Grove stand as sentinels, as witnesses.

“In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be right, which is it, and how shall I know it?  While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

The canopy of maple, oak, hickory and beech trees reach a height of about 100 feet.

“Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again, knowing that if any person needed wisdom from God, I did; for how to act I did not know, and unless I could get more wisdom than I then had, I would never know; for the teachers of religion of the different sects understood the same passages of scripture so differently as to destroy all confidence in settling the question by an appeal to the Bible.

Where did Joseph walk when he came into this grove?  Where did he kneel and pray?

Click here to go to Part 2 of A Walk Through the Sacred Grove in Fall.

All photographs are copyrighted 2003 by Scot Facer Proctor and are protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America and International Copyright laws.  All rights reserved.  No pictures can be used from this essay without express written permission from Meridian Magazine.