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Documents, Volume 2, Part 4 Introduction: Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio, Spring and Summer 1832

Part 4: Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio, Spring and Summer 1832

The organizational structure of the continued to develop throughout the spring and summer of 1832. Serving as after his January 1832 , JS appointed and as “councillers of the ministry of the presidency of th[e] high Pristhood” on 8 March 1832. Following instructions given in a March 1832 revelation to “sit in councel with the saints who are in zion” and to organize the church’s “Literary and Merchantile establishments,” JS, Gause, Rigdon, and prepared to travel to .

Saints in , Missouri, were experiencing difficulties with other residents at this time, though JS was apparently unaware of the problems. later recalled that in March 1832, “the enem[i]es held a counsel” in , Jackson County, about “how they might destroy the saints.” According to , not only was a meeting held “to adopt measures, to drive our people from the county,” but some individuals threw bricks at the Saints’ houses, broke windows, and threatened those inside. Although nothing came from the meeting, Partridge explained that the “hostile spirit of individuals was no less abated.”

JS, meanwhile, was dealing with conflicts of his own while living in the and Alice (Elsa) Jacobs Johnson home in , Ohio. While continuing the Bible revision work, he and were attacked by a group of men during the night of 24–25 March. The group dragged JS and Rigdon from their beds, beat them, and tarred and feathered them. The assault left Rigdon delirious and with a badly injured head, while JS was “scarfied and defaced.” The attack may also have contributed to the death of , an infant adopted by JS and in 1831. The infant boy, who was ill at the time, was exposed to the cold night air when the attackers broke into the bedroom where he and JS were sleeping. He died just a few days later.

Following the assault, moved his family back to , Ohio, while JS stayed in and continued preparing for the upcoming journey to . On 1 April 1832, JS, , , and left for Missouri, meeting up with Rigdon the following day in Warren, Ohio. The group arrived in in late April.

Over the next two weeks, JS held several councils in . Some of the meetings dealt with the organization of the —a group of nine , including JS, instructed to “be bound together by a bond & Covennant” so that they could “manage the literary & Mercantile concerns” of the church. Another council discussed publication endeavors by the group of individuals known as the . The Literary Firm comprised six members of the United Firm who had earlier been designated as “ over the revelations.” JS also worked to resolve difficulties that had existed between and since their trip to Missouri in summer 1831. According to the minutes of one , JS was successful in achieving reconciliation, and “the hearts of all” ran “together in love.” In addition to these meetings, JS visited the Saints residing in , Missouri, where the group “rejoiced as the Ancient Saints did with Paul.”

On 6 May 1832, JS, , and departed by stage for . After the group passed through Vincennes, Indiana, but before it reached New Albany, the horses pulling the stage bolted. As Whitney attempted to leap from the coach, his foot got caught in the wheel, breaking his leg and foot in several places. Sending Rigdon on to , JS stayed with Whitney in , Indiana, for several weeks while Whitney recuperated. The pair finally left Greenville sometime after 6 June, arriving in Kirtland later in the month.

After reaching , JS went again to , where he and his family lived again with the Johnson family. There he read disturbing letters from and other leaders, confirming his suspicion that the unity and love he had felt from the upon leaving Missouri had been fleeting. Some reportedly accused him of “seeking after Monarchal power.” Such communications disheartened JS, leaving him feeling that was incurring “the frowns of the heavenly hosts.” Despite these concerns, JS continued working on his Bible revision, and by the end of July he finished reviewing the New Testament with the help of , who acted as scribe.

Nineteen documents compose this section, consisting of a mix of meeting minutes, revelations, and correspondence. The original documents were inscribed in , , , and , generally by either or .

1
Minutes, 26–27 Apr. 1832; Note, 8 Mar. 1832.
2
Revelation, 1 Mar. 1832 [D&C 78:9]; JS History, vol. A-1, 204, 209.
3
Whitmer, History, 38.
4
“A History, of the Persecution,” Times and Seasons, Dec. 1839, 1:17; see also “The Outrage in Jackson County, Missouri,” The Evening and the Morning Star, Jan. 1834, 122.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
The Evening and the Morning Star. Independence, MO, June 1832–July 1833; Kirtland, OH, Dec. 1833–Sept. 1834.
5
JS History, vol. A-1, 205–209.
6
JS History, vol. A-1, 209.
7
JS History, vol. A-1, 209. Rigdon embarked from nearby Chardon, Ohio, where he went after moving his family to Kirtland soon after the attack in Hiram.
8
According to Whitney’s recollection, they arrived on 24 April. (Newel K. Whitney, Statement, ca. 1842, Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1856, CHL.)
Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Documents, 1839–1860. CHL. CR 100 396.
9
Revelation, 26 Apr. 1832 [D&C 82:11].
10
Revelation, 12 Nov. 1831 [D&C 70:3]; Minutes, 30 Apr. 1832.
11
Minutes, 26–27 Apr. 1832.
12
JS History, vol. A-1, 213.
13
JS History, vol. A-1, 214–216.
14
Letter to William W. Phelps, 31 July 1832; Letter to Edward Partridge and Others, 14 Jan. 1833.
15
Letter to William W. Phelps, 31 July 1832.
16
JS History, vol. A-1, 216; Letter to William W. Phelps, 31 July 1832.

Part 4: Missouri, Indiana, and Ohio, Spring and Summer 1832

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