Joseph Smith was an American religious leader and the founder of Mormonism. According to Smith, an angel named Moroni directed him to a buried book of golden plates hidden at the Hill Cumorah and as per the instruction of the angel he translated the book and published it as the ‘Book of Mormon’. The series of visions that Smith experienced includes the one where he saw the Father and the Son. He founded ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ and remained its first president. The Mormons revere him as a prophet like the biblical prophets Moses and Isaiah. He was called the ‘Prophet’ by the Latter-day Saints as he relied on revelations from God for guidance, knowledge and instruction rather than his own wisdom. Many of his revelations were published as the ‘Pearl of Great Price’ and as the ‘Doctrine and Covenants’. His tutelage covers views on God and His nature, religious collectivism, cosmology, political organization and family structures. Although he had thousands of devoted followers, he was strongly criticised by newspapers and often tagged as a religious fanatic.