, Journal excerpt, 1–4 Apr. 1843; handwriting of ; ten pages, measuring 6 x 3⅞ inches (15 x 10 cm); in William Clayton, Journals, 3 vols., Nov. 1842–Jan. 1846, CHL. Includes redactions and use marks.
Historical Introduction
’s personal journal from 1–4 April 1843 served as a source for JS’s journal entries for those dates. Clayton accompanied JS on a trip from to , Illinois, and kept detailed notes of JS’s activities and teachings, while , JS’s journal keeper, remained in Nauvoo. Richards evidently later composed JS’s journal entries for these dates from Clayton’s journal and from conversations he had with those who made the trip. As an important primary source for Richards’s information about JS’s activities at this time, Clayton’s journal entries for 1–4 April are reproduced here in full.
Page 67
I was left thus without being able to decide wether this coming referred to the beginning of the Millenium, or to some previous appearing, or wether I should die and thus see his face. I believe the coming of the son of man will not be any sooner than that time” In correct<ing> two points in s discourse he observed as follows, “The meaning of that passage where it reads ‘when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is’ is this, When the saviour appears we shall see that he is a man like unto ourselves, and that same sociality which exists amongst us here will exist among us then only it will be coupled with eternal glory which we do not enjoy now. [p. 67]