this was interesting news to me =)
http://utlm.org/onlineresources/josephsmithmethodist.htm

"
In June 1828 Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism, joined the Methodist Church [probationary class] in Harmony, Pennsylvania. This was a strange thing for this prophet of a new religion to do, and seriously challenges the story he put out ten years later about the origin of his work.
"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2010 08:20AM by Nick Humphrey.

because they wouldn't have him.

Which really explains why 'God' told him not to join other churches.

I think JS had the option to make a public profession of his peep stoning ways and repent but chose to withdraw from the class/congregation instead.

Can't remember where I got that from....Palmer...Brodie????

Anyone?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2010 03:02PM by badseed.

Here's why.

The 1838 First Vision story not only runs into trouble with Joseph's earlier 1832 version, but it is also contradicted by what we know about his early years in Palmyra. In his official version Joseph claims he was persecuted by all the Churches in his area "because I continued to affirm I had seen a vision." However, Orsemus Turner, an apprentice printer in Palmyra until 1822, was in the same juvenile debating club with Joseph Smith. He recalled that Joseph "after catching a spark of Methodism ...became a very passable exhorter in evening meetings" (History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, 1851, p. 214). Thus, instead of being opposed and persecuted as his 1838 account claims, young Joseph was welcomed and allowed to exhort during the Methodist's evening preaching. Furthermore, no one, either Mormon or non-Mormon, seems ever to have heard of Joseph's encounter with two divine Personages until after 1838. (See this admission in Dialogue, Autumn 1966, pp. 30-31; Saints Herald, June 29, 1959, pg. 21.)

JOSEPH SMITH AND THE METHODISTS
For Smith's connection with the Methodists, see Inventing Mormonism, pp 54-55, citing Turner, History of Phelp's and Gorham's Purchase, p. 214, which relates that Smith was an informal "exhorter" at Methodist camp meetings before 1822; Pomeroy Tucker, The Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism (NY 1867), p 18: Smith joined the "probationary class" of the Methodist church; there was no Methodist church in Palmyra until July 1821 (Inventing Mormonism, p 60 n 41);

AmIDarkNow? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For Smith's connection with the Methodists, see
> Inventing Mormonism, pp 54-55, citing Turner,
> History of Phelp's and Gorham's Purchase, p. 214,
> which relates that Smith was an informal
> "exhorter" at Methodist camp meetings before 1822;
> Pomeroy Tucker, The Origin, Rise and Progress of
> Mormonism (NY 1867), p 18: Smith joined the
> "probationary class" of the Methodist church;
> there was no Methodist church in Palmyra until
> July 1821 (Inventing Mormonism, p 60 n 41);

i just read bushman's response to inventing mormonism:
http://farms.byu.edu/getpdf.php?filename=MTQwOTQwMzI0My02LTIucGRm&type=cmV2aWV3

there is no mention of the "probationary class" at all in his response.