Zera pulsipher autobiography format

The other day, I came across an interesting talk from Glen L. Rudd about Moroni and his postmortal adventures. While interesting, however, it is unfortunately inaccurate on a few points. In particular, listing Zerah Pulsipher as someone who saw the Angel Moroni is inaccurate to the statements that Pulsipher recorded about his conversion.

The relevant section of Glen Rudd’s discussion are as follows:

Most people never think much about him; but Moroni is still active and busy and doing all those necessary things to help bring about the full restoration of the gospel. …

Moroni had the great privilege, as he walked across this American Continent, of finding a place and designating the place where the St. George temple was to be built. He also designated where the Manti Temple was to be. And it’s been written that he designated Kirtland and Nauvoo and probably others. Moroni appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith 22 different times during the life of the Prophet Joseph that we know of.

Now, I want to tell you the names of some of the people that saw Moroni. …

The ninth man to see Moroni was a man named Zera Pulsipher. He was a minister of another church. He had a vision in his barn. While he was out in the barn one day, a light descended upon him in the middle of this barn, and he looked up and saw Moroni. And Moroni blessed his life and showed him the plates. He became a Seventy in the Church. He became a high priest and became a patriarch. He’s the man who converted and baptized Wilford Woodruff into the Church in 1833.

It’s an interesting story (and some other parts probably bear some discussion, as indicated by a post by Ardis Parshall at her blog Keepatitchinin and another about the Angel Moroni over at the Latter-day Saint blog From the Desk), but what about Zerah Pulsipher?

The story that Rudd references comes from Zerah Pulsipher’s autobiographical sketches. Zerah made three attempts at writing about his life la

HISTORY OF ZERA PULSIPHER

AS WRITTEN BY HIMSELF

I was born June 24, 1789. The name of my parents were John and Elizabeth Pulsipher. My grandfather, whose name was David Pulsipher, was supposed to be a descendant from Ireland. I have not much knowledge of his ancestors. He brought up a family in Connecticut, New England. In the year 1769 he came to a new state called Vermont, went up the Connecticut River to Bellows Falls, went five miles back to a place afterwards called Rockingham, an entire wilderness country, where seldom a blow and been struck by a white man. There he selected and obtained 500 acres of land and prophesied or predicted things that would take place in years to come, which was a site for a meeting house, burying ground back of it and a town site where water power was erected. He cleared some land, built a public house or tavern, helped establish a settlement and converted the wilderness into a fruitful field. This is where I was born.

But when the Revolutionary War commenced, my father was very young, and being away from home one day he heard that the British army had destroyed some military stores at Concord, New Hampshire. Being fired with indignation, he sought for a recruiting officer and enlisted for one campaign. When he returned home and informed his father of the circumstances, the old gentleman told him that he was too young and that he would enlist and go with him. Accordingly he did, and they both went to Boston, Massachusetts. In the memorable battle of Bunker Hill, the 17th of June 1775, there they stood side by side and fought with about 13 Americans against 3000 of the British for about two hours. When the enemy, after firing Charleston and wending around under the smoke, had nearly surrounded that wing of their own army, they saw but a small gap to retreat through, which was then continually plowing ground with balls from the shipping. But while they were going out, my gran

1789 - 1872
as written by himself

I was born June 24, 1789, the name of my parents were John and Elizabeth Pulsipher, my grandfather whosename was David Pulsipher was supposed to be a descendant fromIreland. I have not much knowledge of his ancestors. He brought upa family in Connecticut, New England. In the year 1769 he came toa new state called Vermont, went up the Connecticut River toBellows Falls. Went five miles back to a place afterwards calledRockingham, an entire wilderness country, where seldom a blow hadbeen struck by a white man. There he selected and obtained 500acres of land and prophesied or predicted things that would takeplace in years to come, which was a site for a meeting house,bring ground back of it and a town site where water was erected.

He cleared some land, built a "Pulbic House" or "Tavern". Hehelped establish a settlement and converted the wilderness into afruitful field. This is where I was born. But when theRevolutionary War commenced my father was very young and being awayfrom home one day he heard that the British Army had destroyed someMilitary stores at Concord, New Hampshire, and being fired withindignation he sought for a recruiting officer and enlisted forone campaign. When he returned home and informed his father of thecircumstances, the old gentleman told him that he was too young andthat he would enlist and go with him. Accordingly he did, and theyboth went to Boston, Massachusetts. In the memorable Battle ofBunker Hill, the 17th of June 1775, there they stood side by sideand fought with about 13 Americans against 3000 of the British forabout two hours. When the enemy, after firing Charleston andwending around under the smoke, and nearly surrounded that wing oftheir own army, when they saw but a small gap to retreat throughwhich was then continually plowing the ground with balls from theshipping. But while they were going out my grandfather saw one ofour men wounded and crawling away on his hands and knees. In themeantim

Zerah Pulsipher (or Zera Pulsipher) was an early leader in the Latter-day Saint movement who is primarily remembered for baptizing Wilford Woodruff. Zerah is mentioned in Section 124 of the Doctrine and Covenants, and served as one of the First Seven Presidents of the Seventy. He was released during the Utah years, partly due to performing unauthorized plural marriages. He died at the age of 82 and is buried in Hebron, Utah.

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Who Was Zerah Pulsipher?

Zerah Pulsipher (1789-1872) was an early convert to the Church of Christ who was baptized by Jared Carter on January 11, 1832. He was a visionary man who was deeply impressed by the Book of Mormon. After his baptism, he was ordained an elder and became the leader of the newly-founded congregation in Onondaga County, New York.

Within two years of his own conversion, Zerah would serve a brief mission where he met, taught, and baptized Wilford Woodruff. Zerah was ordained as a First President of the Seventy on March 6, 1838  (equivalent to the Presidency of the Seventy today). In that capacity, he helped lead the Kirtland Camp–a large exodus of poor Latter-day Saints from Kirtland to Missouri in 1838. He also served in other leadership capacities, including as a city counselor in Salt Lake City for several years. He was present for many of the major events of Church history in Kirtland, Missouri, Nauvoo, Iowa, Salt Lake City, and southern Utah. 

Why did Zerah join the Church?

Zerah Pulsipher joined the Church after encounters with missionaries and the Book of Mormon led to a personal vision.

Prior to his baptism, Zerah Pulsipher was a Baptist with some universalist leanings, but a visit from Solomon Chamberlain sparked a change that would shape much of Zerah’s life. As Zerah recalled,

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