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Discourse, 12 May 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock

Source Note

JS, Discourse, [, Hancock Co., IL, 12 May 1844]. Featured version inscribed [ca. 12 May 1844]; handwriting of ; two pages; JS Collection, CHL. Includes docket and notations.
Bifolium measuring 12½ × 7¾ inches (32 × 20 cm). The bifolium’s pages are ruled with thirty-nine horizontal lines printed in blue ink, now faded. The discourse was inscribed on the recto and verso of the first leaf. The second leaf contains a few lines of text that carry over from the verso of the first leaf onto the recto of the second leaf. The document was folded for filing and docketed. There are stains—apparently from water—on the recto of the first leaf, and there is some separation along several of the folds.
The document was docketed by , who served as JS’s scribe from 1843 to 1844 and as clerk to the church historian and recorder from 1845 to 1865. Bullock later inscribed a graphite notation. The notation “A.J” was added by Andrew Jenson, who began working in the Church Historian’s Office (later Church Historical Department) in 1891 and served as assistant church historian from 1897 to 1941. The document was listed in an inventory that was produced by the Church Historian’s Office circa 1904. By 1973 this discourse had been included in the JS Collection at the Church Historical Department (now CHL). The document’s early docket and notations, its listing in a circa 1904 inventory, and its later inclusion in the JS Collection indicate continuous institutional custody.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Jessee, “Writing of Joseph Smith’s History,” 456, 458; Woodruff, Journal, 22 Jan. 1865.

    Jessee, Dean C. “The Writing of Joseph Smith’s History.” BYU Studies 11 (Summer 1971): 439–473.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  2. [2]

    Jenson, Autobiography, 192, 389; Cannon, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891; Jenson, Journal, 9 Feb. 1891 and 19 Oct. 1897; Bitton and Arrington, Mormons and Their Historians, 47–52.

    Jenson, Andrew. Autobiography of Andrew Jenson: Assistant Historian of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938.

    Cannon, George Q. Journals, 1855–1864, 1872–1901. CHL. CR 850 1.

    Jenson, Andrew. Journals, 1864–1941. Andrew Jenson, Autobiography and Journals, 1864–1941. CHL.

    Bitton, David, and Leonard J. Arrington. Mormons and Their Historians. Salt Lake City: University of Utah Press, 1988.

  3. [3]

    “Letters to and from the Prophet,” ca. 1904, [4], Historian’s Office, Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904, CHL.

    Historian’s Office. Catalogs and Inventories, 1846–1904. CHL. CR 100 130.

  4. [4]

    See the full bibliographic entry for JS Collection, 1827–1844, in the CHL catalog.

Historical Introduction

On 12 May 1844, JS preached a discourse in , Illinois, in which he defended himself against his critics and spoke on the salvation and resurrection of the dead. By this time, tensions had been growing for months between JS and his opponents in Nauvoo. On 18 April 1844, a council excommunicated , JS’s former counselor in the , along with his wife, ; his brother ; and . JS’s opponents subsequently organized a rival church with William Law as its president. Although various individuals had visited JS’s opponents attempting to effect a reconciliation, on 6 May the unanimously concluded to no longer “feel after” the Laws (William, Jane, and Wilson), Foster, and and but instead to deliver “them over to the buffetings of .” Following this decision, JS received notice on 7 May that his enemies had purchased a printing press. On 11 May, reported that and Francis M. Higbee were in , Illinois, speaking against JS. The next day, some three hundred people attended a meeting of William Law’s church held in Nauvoo.
On the morning of 12 May, JS delivered a discourse from an outdoor rostrum near the construction site. In this sermon, JS defended himself against his detractors, who accused him of being a fallen prophet. Besides addressing his opponents’ accusations, JS taught the doctrine of salvation for the dead through proxy —such as —emphasizing the need for the dead to receive all the same ordinances necessary to save the living. JS also explained certain aspects of the resurrection.
noted that he “learned a great deal” from JS’s sermon, and wrote that he “never felt more delighted with his [JS’s] Discourse than at this time” and stated that “it put me in Mind of Herod when they said at his Oration it is the Voice of A God and not of A Man.”
Three extant versions of the discourse exist. , who provided the most extensive account of the discourse, was present when JS spoke and presumably took notes at that time. However, the quality of his handwriting and the small number of abbreviations in the surviving text suggest that Bullock’s account is a fair copy rather than the original, hastily inscribed notes he would have taken down as JS spoke. A number of insertions were later made to Bullock’s account. A few of these were added before the discourse was recorded in the sermon book, but the majority were most likely made when the sermon was prepared for inclusion in the manuscript history in the 1850s. These later insertions are not included in Bullock’s account as featured here. Additionally, Samuel W. Richards and each wrote accounts of the sermon—likely from notes they took at the time JS spoke. All three extant accounts of JS’s discourse are featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    JS, Journal, 18 Apr. 1844; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 18 Apr. 1844; Law, Record of Doings, 19 Apr. 1844, in Cook, William Law, 50–51; Richards, Journal, 18 Apr. 1844; Clayton, Journal, 18 Apr. 1844; Fielding, Journal, 1843–1859, 27.

    Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.

    Cook, Lyndon W. William Law: Biographical Essay, Nauvoo Diary, Correspondence, Interview. Orem, UT: Grandin Book, 1994.

    Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.

    Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.

    Fielding, Joseph. Journals, 1837–1859. CHL. MS 1567.

  2. [2]

    Law, Record of Doings, 1 June 1844, in Cook, William Law, 54; JS, Journal, 28 Apr. 1844; Woodruff, Journal, 6 May 1844.

    Cook, Lyndon W. William Law: Biographical Essay, Nauvoo Diary, Correspondence, Interview. Orem, UT: Grandin Book, 1994.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  3. [3]

    Council of Fifty, “Record,” 26 Mar. and 6 May 1844; Law, Record of Doings, 29 Mar. and 15 Apr. 1844, in Cook, William Law, 48, 50. Despite this pronouncement, William Law recorded in his journal that Sidney Rigdon visited him on 13 May 1844 in another effort to make peace. (Law, Record of Doings, 13 May 1844, in Cook, William Law, 52–53.)

    Cook, Lyndon W. William Law: Biographical Essay, Nauvoo Diary, Correspondence, Interview. Orem, UT: Grandin Book, 1994.

  4. [4]

    JS, Journal, 7 and 11 May 1844. The Quincy Whig reported that Blakeslee and one of the Higbees had been in Quincy, where they contended that JS “was pretty much of a rough customer, especially in relation to the ‘spiritual wife’ doctrine. Their whole aim was principally against Smith and not against the church—of which they still claimed to be members. They painted Smith, as any thing but the Saint he claims to be—and as a man, to the last degree, corrupt in his morals and religion.” (“The Mormons,” Quincy [IL] Whig, 22 May 1844, [1].)

    Quincy Whig. Quincy, IL. 1838–1856.

  5. [5]

    “The New Church,” Warsaw (IL) Signal, 15 May 1844, [2].

    Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.

  6. [6]

    JS, Journal, 12 May 1844; Historian’s Office, Journal, 12 May 1844.

    Historian’s Office. Journal, 1844–1997. CHL. CR 100 1.

  7. [7]

    See JS, Journal, 28 Apr. 1844; and “The New Church,” Warsaw (IL) Signal, 15 May 1844, [2].

    Warsaw Signal. Warsaw, IL. 1841–1853.

  8. [8]

    Historian’s Office, Journal, 12 May 1844.

    Historian’s Office. Journal, 1844–1997. CHL. CR 100 1.

  9. [9]

    Fielding, Journal, 1843–1859, 30–31; see also Acts 12:21–22.

    Fielding, Joseph. Journals, 1837–1859. CHL. MS 1567.

  10. [10]

    Historian’s Office, Journal, 12 May 1844.

    Historian’s Office. Journal, 1844–1997. CHL. CR 100 1.

  11. [11]

    Compare Bullock’s polished notes for JS’s 12 May 1844 discourse with the rough notes he took during JS’s 7 April 1844 discourse. (See Discourse, 7 Apr. 1844.)

  12. [12]

    See Historian’s Office, “Sermons by Joseph Smit[h] and Others,” 30–34; JS History, vol. F-1, 16–21; and Historical Introduction to JS History, 1838–1856, vol. F-1 [1 May 1844–8 Aug. 1844]. A notation on Bullock’s account states that it was copied into the Nauvoo sermon book, which was located in the back of the Nauvoo City Council minute book. Below this first notation is another, stating that Bullock’s account was also copied into the manuscript history but had not yet been revised by Brigham Young, then president of the church.

    Historian’s Office. Sermon Book / Historian’s Office. “Sermons by Joseph Smit[h] and Others,” ca. 1854–ca. 1856. Verso of Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, CHL.

  13. [13]

    In Richards’s notebook, minutes for the April 1845 conference precede his 12 May 1844 entry, suggesting that his account was copied into his notebook sometime after April 1845. Laub began writing in his journal on 1 January 1845, meaning that his account was entered after that date. (Richards, Notebook, [65]; Laub, Reminiscences and Journal, 1.)

    Richards, Samuel W. Notebook, ca. 1844–1845. Samuel W. Richards, Papers, 1839–1909. CHL.

    Laub, George. Reminiscences and Journal, 1845–1857. CHL. MS 9628.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation.
*Discourse, 12 May 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock
*Discourse, 12 May 1844, as Reported by Samuel W. Richards *Discourse, 12 May 1844, as Reported by George Laub Discourse, 12 May 1844, as Reported by Samuel W. Richards, Copy History, 1838–1856, volume F-1 [1 May 1844–8 August 1844] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [1]

The Savior has the words of Eternal life— nothing else can profit us— there is no salvation in believing an evil against our neighbor— I advise all to go on to perfection and search deeper into the mysteries of Godliness— a man can do nothing for himself— the last time I spoke it was on the resurrection of the dead; when I promised to continue it— I still feel a desire to say something on this subject— let us this very day begin anew. and now say we will be righteous— I shall read the 24th. ch of Matthew and give it a litteral rendering & reading, and when rightly understood will be edifying (he translated it from the German) I thought the very oddity of its rendering would be edifying any how— “And it will preached be, the Gospel of the Kingdom in the whole world, to a witness over all people, and then will the end come”. I will now read it in German— (several persons said he translated it correct) the Savior said, when those tribulations should take place, it should be committed to a man, who should be a witness over the whole world, the of knowledge, power, and revelations, should be revealed to a witness who should hold the testimony to the world; it has always been my province to dig up hidden mysteries, new things, for my hearers— just at the time when some men think that I have no right to the keys just at that time, I have the greatest right— the Germans are an exalted people, the old German translators is the most correct, most honest and therefore I get testimony to bear me out in the revelations that I have preached for the last 14 years— the old German, Latin, Greek and Hebrew all say it is true, they cannot be impeached, and I am in good company— all the testimony is, that the Lord in the last days would commit the keys to a witness over all people— has the Gospel of the Kingdom commenced in the last days, and will God take it from the man, until he takes him, himself, I have read it precisely as the words flowed from the lips of Jesus Christ— John the Revelator saw an angel flying thro’ the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, &c. the Scripture is ready to be fulfilled when great wars, famines, pestilence, judgments &c are ready to be poured out on the Inhabitants of the Earth— John saw the angel having the priesthood who should preach— God had an angel, ordained, & prepared for the that purpose in the last days— Woe! Woe! be to that man, or set of men, who lift up their hands against God and his Witness in these last days—— for they shall deceive almost the very chosen ones— my enemies say I have been a true prophet— & I had rather be a fallen true prophet, than a false prophet; when a man goes about prophesying and commands men to obey him, he must be either a true or false prophet— false prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets, and will deceive almost the very chosen ones— the doctrine of eternal judgments belong to the 1st. principles of the Gospel in the last days— in relation to the Kingdom of God— the devil always sets up his Kingdom at the very same time— every man who has a calling to the world, was to that very purpose in the grand Council of Heaven— I suppose that I was ordained to this very office in that grand Council— it is the testimony that I want, that I am God’s servant, and this people his people— in the last days the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom & the very time that was calculated on, this people was struggling to bring it out— he that arms himself with Gun, sword, or Pistol will some time be sorry for it— I never carry any thing bigger than my Pen Knife— when I was dragged before the Cannon and muskets in , I was unarmed, God will always protect me
I calculate to be one of the Instruments of setting up the Kingdom of Daniel, by the word of the Lord, and I intend to revolutionize the whole world— I once offered my life to the Mob as a sacrifice for my people— and here I am— it will not be by Sword or Gun that this Kingdom will roll on— all nations will be under the necessity of obeying the Gospel— the prediction is that army will be against army— it may be that the Saints will have to beat their Ploughs into Swords [p. [1]]
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Discourse, 12 May 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock
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  • Thomas Bullock

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    See John 6:68.

  2. [2]

    See Hebrews 6:1.

  3. [3]

    See 1 Timothy 3:16; and Revelation, ca. Summer 1829 [D&C 19:10].

  4. [4]

    On 7 April 1844, JS preached about the dead and the nature of God and humankind. The following day, he addressed the Saints again. Prior to beginning his 8 April 1844 sermon, JS asked to have 1 Corinthians 15 read aloud, which suggests that he meant to speak on the resurrection. JS then began his 8 April discourse by stating that he meant to continue his 7 April sermon but was unable to because of the weakness of his lungs. He said, however, that he would do so on some other occasion. (Discourse, 7 Apr. 1844; Historian’s Office, General Church Minutes, 6–9 Apr. 1844, 14; Discourse, 8 Apr. 1844.)

  5. [5]

    JS studied German in Nauvoo with the assistance of Orson Hyde and Alexander Neibaur. (See JS, Journal, 22 Dec. 1842; and JS, Journal, 18 and 22 Mar. 1844.)

  6. [6]

    See Matthew 24:14.

  7. [7]

    JS likely read this passage in German out of a polyglot Bible, which may have been a volume titled Novum Testamentum Harmonicum. This book contained the text of the New Testament printed in parallel columns of Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German, making it possible to compare the same passage in all four languages. In his 7 April 1844 discourse, JS read from a polyglot Bible, which William Clayton described as “an old Book (N. T.) in the Hebrew. Latin German & Greek.” During this same sermon, JS stated, “I have preached Latin Hebrew Greek German & I have fulfilled all I am not so big a fool as many have taken me for— the Germans know that I read the German corect.” (Novum Testamentum, Harmonicum . . . , edited by Elias Hutter [Nuremberg, Germany, 1602]; Discourse, 7 Apr. 1844.)

    Novum Testamentum, Harmonicum, Ebraice, Graece, Latine, & Germanice, edited by Elias Hutter. Nuremberg, Germany, 1602.

  8. [8]

    See Matthew 16:19. JS dictated multiple revelations that emphasized that he had received priesthood keys. (See Revelation, 7 Dec. 1830 [D&C 35:18]; Revelation, 11 Sept. 1831 [D&C 64:5]; Revelation, 15 Mar. 1832 [D&C 81:1–2]; Revelation, 8 Mar. 1833 [D&C 90:2–3]; Revelation, 23 July 1837 [D&C 112:15]; Revelation, 26 Apr. 1838 [D&C 115:19]; and Letter to the Church, 7 Sept. 1842 [D&C 128:9–11].)

  9. [9]

    In his 7 April 1844 discourse, JS said, “I have been read[in]g. the Germ[an]: I find it to be the most corect that I have found & it corespends the nearest to the rev[elatio]ns. that I have given the last 14 y[ea]rs.” (Discourse, 7 Apr. 1844.)

  10. [10]

    See Revelation 14:6.

  11. [11]

    See Matthew 24:6–7.

  12. [12]

    See Matthew 24:24.

  13. [13]

    JS’s opponents had been preaching that he was a fallen prophet. Brigham Young and Willard Richards summarized their message as “the same old story over again the Doctrine is right but Joseph is a fallen Prophet.” Likewise, Joseph Fielding observed that JS’s detractors said he “was fallen, the same as all the Apostates have said.” (Brigham Young and Willard Richards, Nauvoo, IL, to Reuben Hedlock, Liverpool, England, 3 May 1844, draft, Brigham Young Office Files, CHL; Fielding, Journal, 1843–1859, 26.)

    Brigham Young Office Files, 1832–1878. CHL. CR 1234 1.

    Fielding, Joseph. Journals, 1837–1859. CHL. MS 1567.

  14. [14]

    Joseph Fielding saw this as a reference to William Law’s new church. Fielding stated that “Joseph spoke on the Gospel of the Kingdom and shewd that when God set up his Kingdom on the Earth Satan always set up his in Opposition alluding to Appostay . . . working in this Place.” (Fielding, Journal, 1843–1859, 30.)

    Fielding, Joseph. Journals, 1837–1859. CHL. MS 1567.

  15. [15]

    See Book of Abraham Excerpt and Facsimile 2, 15 Mar. 1842 [Abraham 3:22–23]; and Book of Mormon, 1840 ed., 252 [Alma 13:3].

  16. [16]

    See Daniel 2:44–45; and Revelation, 30 Oct. 1831 [D&C 65:2].

  17. [17]

    This part of JS’s discourse could be referring to several instances when JS felt he had received divine protection during the 1838 conflict between the Latter-day Saints and their neighbors in Missouri. On 31 October 1838, JS and four other individuals surrendered themselves, unarmed, to Major General Samuel D. Lucas to prevent the Missouri militia from attacking the Saints at Far West, Missouri. JS and his fellow prisoners narrowly avoided a military execution on 1 November 1838. The following day, some men threatened to shoot them, while others would have done so had their guns not misfired. Parley P. Pratt recorded JS prophesying on 3 November 1838 that the prisoners’ “lives should be given us, and that whatever we may suffer during this captivity, not one of our lives should be taken.” (Baugh, “Call to Arms,” 323–324, 336–339; “Part 3: 4 November 1838–16 April 1839”; Pratt, Autobiography, 205–207, 210.)

    Baugh, Alexander L. “A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri.” PhD diss., Brigham Young University, 1996. Also available as A Call to Arms: The 1838 Mormon Defense of Northern Missouri, Dissertations in Latter-day Saint History (Provo, UT: Joseph Fielding Smith Institute for Latter-day Saint History; BYU Studies, 2000).

    Pratt, Parley P. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry and Travels, with Extracts, in Prose and Verse, from His Miscellaneous Writings. Edited by Parley P. Pratt Jr. New York: Russell Brothers, 1874.

  18. [18]

    During an 11 April 1844 meeting of the Council of Fifty, William W. Phelps concluded “from the scriptures that Prest. Joseph is the man chosen of God to bring to pass the establishment of the kingdom of God.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 11 Apr. 1844.)

  19. [19]

    In an 18 April 1844 Council of Fifty meeting, Lorenzo D. Wasson stated that “we come here to establish such a kingdom as never was established. . . . We calculate to revolutionize the world by intelligence.” In a similar vein, JS observed during a 6 May 1844 council meeting—while giving instructions regarding his presidential campaign—that “as we have no money we must go out in the world and command means, and work by faith & revolutionize the world, not by power, nor by might, but by pure intelligence.” (Council of Fifty, “Record,” 18 Apr. and 6 May 1844.)

  20. [20]

    Joel 3:10. This statement is a reversal of the prophecies in Isaiah 2:4 and Micah 4:3.

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