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Has there been an apologetic response to the claim that Joseph Smith dressed as an angel during baptisms?

As the newspaper story goes, when Mormon elders would perform baptisms in Ohio's Grand River, frequently a mysterious angel in a white robe would appear on the opposite bank to inspire the faithful. This heavenly performance went off without a hitch until a group of skeptics, tired of Joseph Smith's shenanigans, hid in the bushes, rushed out and tackled the holy messenger, and found it was none other than a very embarrassed and angry Joseph Smith himself, making a very human attempt to escape the scene.

The Adams Sentinel - June 29, 1835

Must be them damn anti-Mormons.

Great stuff, Wang Chung. Joseph Smith put in great effort to bolster the faith.

Collaboration? I certainly do not know but I could wonder if the story is a fiction. It sounds a bit like comedic fiction.

huckelberry wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 21, 2025 1:20 pm

Collaboration? I certainly do not know but I could wonder if the story is a fiction. It sounds a bit like comedic fiction.

It’s certainly a real report in a reputable newspaper of the time. Perhaps Joseph’s heavenly visitations were merely him dressing up in a sheet in front of a mirror.

huckelberry wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 21, 2025 1:20 pm

Collaboration? I certainly do not know but I could wonder if the story is a fiction. It sounds a bit like comedic fiction.

I agree. (for what it's worth, Uncle Dale referred to this story as a "tall tale": http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/OH/miscoh08.htm.)

I would share what ChatGPt's incredible search found, but then I'd be busted.... it's very strong in historical searches like this I must say. Very fun to use!

Bret Ripley wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 21, 2025 6:00 pm

huckelberry wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 21, 2025 1:20 pm

Collaboration? I certainly do not know but I could wonder if the story is a fiction. It sounds a bit like comedic fiction.

I agree. (for what it's worth, Uncle Dale referred to this story as a "tall tale": http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/dbroadhu/OH/miscoh08.htm.)

I wonder if any other "tall tales" exist within Mormonism?

Philo Sofee wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 22, 2025 2:49 am

I would share what ChatGPt's incredible search found, but then I'd be busted.... it's very strong in historical searches like this I must say. Very fun to use!

You can share it, - just not here. AI-generated text may be shared only on The artificial intelligence MEGATHREAD. So please go ahead and add a comment to the megathread. as far as I know, you can make the topic title something like "From Heavenly Cosplay: Joseph Smith and the Great River Deception", and can even include a link back to here. Also as far as I know, you may not link from here to the megathread. But check the rule to be sure.

I can’t pretend to be an expert on Joseph Smith’s psychology, but to me masquerading as an angel for baptisms doesn’t seem like his style. Too much risk of exposure, and too much work. Maybe he got in a weird mood and did it, in spite of that, but my guess is that he’d have considered that sort of sham as beneath him.

I could more easily imagine someone else doing the angel act with Smith’s tacit blessing. If exposed, they could be disavowed.

Or, for that matter, someone could have made up the story and told it to the newspaper as a prank. I’m not sure how much digging the Adams Sentinel could or would have done to check a good story about those ridiculous Mormons.