George Albert Smith's spiritual manifestation at baptism
Published October 4, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Contributed by
Millennial Star Research
Upon being baptized by Joseph H. Wakefield and confirmed by Solomon Humphrey in 1832, George Albert Smith felt no immediate powerful manifestation during the confirmation and was tempted by the adversary with the thought that he had committed the unpardonable sin by being baptized without a change of heart. He overcame this temptation after several hours and his mind was filled with light and peace.
Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):
Sept. 10, 1832, I was baptized by Elder Joseph H. Wakefield, and confirmed by Elder Solomon Humphrey, in the presence of my father and mother, and many of our neighbors. At the time of confirmation my mind was exceedingly calm and clear; but as I felt no powerful manifestation from the imposition of hands, I suffered the adversary to tempt me: it seemed as if a spirit came and said to me, “You have now committed the unpardonable sin, for you have been baptized without a change of heart.” I was sorely tempted in this way for many hours; but I soon overcame, and my mind was filled with light and peace. I felt that I had received a testimony of the truth, and that I was indeed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
In Their Own Words
“Sept. 10, 1832, I was baptized by Elder Joseph H. Wakefield, and confirmed by Elder Solomon Humphrey, in the presence of my father and mother, and many of our neighbors. At the time of confirmation my mind was exceedingly calm and clear; but as I felt no powerful manifestation from the imposition of hands, I suffered the adversary to tempt me: it seemed as if a spirit came and said to me, “You have now committed the unpardonable sin, for you have been baptized without a change of heart.” I was sorely tempted in this way for many hours; but I soon overcame, and my mind was filled with light and peace. I felt that I had received a testimony of the truth, and that I was indeed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
— George Albert Smith, Autobiography, as published in The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star
Sources & References
The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star (Manchester, later Liverpool, England, May 1840–1970), 15 July 1865 (Vol. 27, No. 28). https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1865-07-15_27_28 (account extracted verbatim from the issue's Internet Archive OCR text; research confidence: high) Full first-person account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 27, No. 28, 15 July 1865, p. 438 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1865-07-15_27_28 Fuller account: The Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star, Vol. 27, No. 28, 15 July 1865, p. 438 https://archive.org/details/per_utah-and-the-mormons_the-latter-day-saints-millennial-star_1865-07-15_27_28
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