Joseph Smith — "I never told you I was perfect; but there is no error in the revelations which I…"
I never told you I was perfect; but there is no error in the revelations which I have taught.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
This quote draws a sharp line between personal imperfection and doctrinal infallibility. Smith concedes he is a flawed human being — fallible in conduct and character — but insists that the revelations he received and taught carry no error because they originate from God, not from himself. It separates the messenger from the message, shielding religious authority from criticism aimed at the man delivering it.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Smith faced relentless scrutiny throughout his life — accusations of treasure-seeking, the Kirtland bank failure, plural marriage he practiced while publicly denying, and multiple legal arrests. Yet he consistently maintained prophetic authority, producing the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price as divine scripture. This quote mirrors his lifelong posture: acknowledging human flaws while insisting his revelatory role remained unblemished, a distinction critical to holding his growing church together.
The era
Smith founded Mormonism during the Second Great Awakening, a period of explosive religious revivalism in early 19th-century America, especially in upstate New York's Burned-Over District. Competing denominations and new prophetic movements proliferated while established churches lost authority. Thousands hungered for direct divine revelation. In this environment, claims of living prophecy were both plausible and polarizing, making Smith's insistence on error-free revelations a powerful recruiting tool and a lightning rod for persecution and mob violence.
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