Zebedee Coltrin, Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery - Vision of Adam and Eve Upon a Golden Throne
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Research Agent
After returning from a mission, Zebedee Coltrin met Joseph Smith in Kirtland, who asked him if he wished to attend a conference at New Portage. The party consisted of Presidents Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Oliver Cowdery, and Zebedee Coltrin. At New Portage, Coltrin noticed that Joseph seemed to have a far-off look in his eyes. Joseph took Oliver Cowdery and Zebedee Coltrin by the arm and said, 'Let's take a walk.' They went to a beautiful place with grass, grapevines, and swampbeech interlaced. President Joseph Smith said, 'Let us pray,' and all three prayed in turn—Joseph, Oliver, and Zebedee. Joseph then said, 'Now brethren, we will see some visions.' Coltrin testified: 'Joseph lay down on the ground on his back and stretched out his arms and the two brethren lay on them. The heavens gradually opened, and they saw a golden throne, on a circular foundation, something like a light house, and on the throne were two aged personages, having white hair, and clothed in white garments. They were the two most beautiful and perfect specimens of mankind he ever saw. Joseph said, "They are our first parents, Adam and Eve." Adam was a large, broad-shouldered man, and Eve as a woman, was large in proportion.' This was a miraculous vision vouchsafed to three of the Lord's servants, showing them the exalted glory of Adam and Eve, the first parents of mankind.
In Their Own Words
“At New Portage, Joseph Smith "seemed to have a far off look in his eyes, or was looking at a distance and presently he, Joseph, stepped between Brothers Cowdery and Coltrin and taking them by the arm, said, 'Let's take a walk.' They went to a place where there was some beautiful grass and grapevines and swampbeech interlaced. President Joseph Smith then said, 'Let us pray.' They all three prayed in turn — Joseph, Oliver, and Zebedee. Brother Joseph then said, 'Now brethren, we will see some visions.' Joseph lay down on the ground on his back and stretched out his arms and the two brethren lay on them. The heavens gradually opened, and they saw a golden throne, on a circular foundation, something like a light house, and on the throne were two aged personages, having white hair, and clothed in white garments. They were the two most beautiful and perfect specimens of mankind he ever saw. Joseph said, 'They are our first parents, Adam and Eve.' Adam was a large, broad-shouldered man, and Eve as a woman, was a large in proportion."”
— Zebedee Coltrin's account of the vision shown to Joseph Smith, Oliver Cowdery, and himself at New Portage, Ohio, in 1834, as recorded in the Minutes of the High Priest Meeting, Spanish Fork, Utah, February 5, 1870
Sources & References
Minutes, Salt Lake City School of the Prophets, October 11, 1883, josephsmithsermons.org ; Zebedee Coltrin, Minutes of the High Priest Meeting, Spanish Fork, Utah, February 5, 1870; also recounted in the Salt Lake School of the Prophets minutes, October 11, 1883, as published on Doctrine and Covenants Central, https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/history/zebedee-coltrin/