A late thirdhand account of the First Vision from John Alger in 1893 may be corroborated by some early secondhand (esoteric) references in some songs and hymns recorded in 1833, which may also have connections to a recorded revelation in 1830.
Blog
The Perennial Cycle from Mysticism to Religion to Politics
What is the relationship between mysticism and religion? It is perhaps a cycle, which begins in mysticism and ends in fundamentalist dogmatic religion, and politics, where it begins again.
May we all Apostatize, and experience the Apocalypse: A Mystical View
Apostasy (and apocalypse) are two words that could use some closer investigation in our spiritual journey.
Joseph Smith’s First Vision, BHT: A New Translation
A new translation of Joseph Smith's First Vision.
An Introduction to the BHT Translation of Joseph Smith’s First Vision
I introduce a new translation of Joseph Smith's First Vision, giving some background to this interpretation of his mystical experience, the nature of translation, its pseudepigraphal nature, how it was done, and more.
The Mythological Messiah and its Mystical Qualities
I suggest that the mythology of messianism points to qualities of the mystical experience and the awakening of the true Self identity in nondual consciousness.
The Mystical “Messiah” in the World’s Traditions
Many traditions have a messiah who is thought will come to redeem them and the world. There is perhaps a mystical interpretation of this messianism.
Be Ye Perfect? or Be Ye Whole? A Mystical Translation
Are we to strive for perfectionism, or are we to realize the wholeness that already exists within our true Self, our essential divine nature?
What is Consciousness? A Cosmic Mystical Perspective
Consciousness may be the "inner" experiential (spiritual) side of the "outer" material (physical) cosmos, these being two irreducible aspects of One thing.
Ken Wilber’s Fallacious “pre/trans fallacy” and the Condescension of Children
This fallacy says that people mistakenly believe that children are connected to the Divine in a similar way as those mystics who transcend ego. I don't think this is mistaken at all.