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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”

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Editorial Title
Discourse, 12 May 1844, as Reported by Thomas Bullock
ID #
1357
Total Pages
4
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