Description

A Personage in the Fire

Alexander Neibaur was born in 1808 in France to Nathan and Rebecca Peretz Neibaur. His parents were educated Jews. Though his father wanted him to become a rabbi, Alexander attended the University of Berlin and became instead a surgeon and dentist. After graduation he traveled and in time settled in Preston, England where he got married. In the course of his travels he became converted to Christ.

One day in the summer of 1837, a neighbor mentioned to his wife, Ellen, about some American preachers in town. Overhearing the remark, Alexander immediately secured the address where they were and went looking for them. “Not many hours after he was in close conversation with Elders Heber C Kimball, Willard Richards, Orson Hyde and Joseph Fielding…. One of the first questions he asked was, ‘You have a book?’ And nothing could satisfy that eager, inspired question till he had a copy of the Book of Mormon in his own hands, for he had seen it, so he declared, in his night visions and recognized the book on sight.” He read the book in three days and asked for baptism. He was advised to prepare himself further before being baptized. He was baptized the following spring.

February 7, 1841, the Neibaurs sailed from Liverpool in the ship Sheffield. Upon their arrival in Nauvoo, he was ordained to the Priesthood and to the office of a Seventy. “He was honored with the friendship of the Prophet Joseph…. He had the extreme pleasure of becoming instructor to the Prophet Joseph Smith in the German and Hebrew languages, and treasured all his life the blessedness of that memory and association.”

It was under these circumstances that Alexander recorded the following in his journal on May 24, 1844.

“24th: Called at Br Joseph Smith’s and met Mr Bonnie. Brother Joseph told us of the first call he had at a revival meeting. His mother and brother and sister got religion. He wanted to get religion too– wanted to feel and shout like the rest but could feel nothing.

“He opened his Bible. The first passage that struck him was ‘If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not.’

“[Joseph] went into the wood[s] to pray. Knelt himself down. His tongue was close cleaved to [the] roof [of his mouth]— could utter not a word. [He] felt easier after a while. [He] saw a fire towards heaven. [It] came near and nearer.

“[He] saw a personage in the fire [who had] light complexion, blue eyes, a piece of white cloth drawn over His shoulders, His right arm bare. After a while another person came to the side of the first. Mr. Smith then asked ‘Must I join the Methodist Church?’ ‘No. They are not my people. [They] all have gone astray. There is none that doeth good, no not one, but this is my Beloved son hearken ye [to] him.’

“The fire drew nearer [and] rested upon the tree. [It] enveloped him [and] comforted [him]. [He] endeavored to rise but felt uncommonly feeble. He got into the house. [He] told the Methodist priest, who said this was not an age for God to reveal himself in vision. Revelation had ceased with the New Testament.”

And so was Alexander Neibaur’s account, presumably the last one Joseph gave of “Joseph’s First Vision”.

Sources: https://www.josephsmithpapers.org/paper-summary/alexander-neibaur-journal-24-may-1844-extract/1#full-transcript _Quotation modernized and clarified for readability.

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/memories/KWJC-PZR