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Elders’ Journal, October 1837

Source Note

Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints, , Geauga Co., OH, Oct. 1837.
Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints (, Geauga Co., OH, and , Caldwell Co., MO), vol. 1, nos. 1–2, Oct.–Nov. 1837, and nos. 3–4, July–Aug. 1838; nos. 1–2 edited by JS (in ) and nos. 3–4 edited by JS (in ).
Each monthly issue featured sixteen octavo pages that measured 10⅛ × 6⅛ inches (26 × 16 cm). Each page was printed in two columns, with each column 2⅛ inches (5 cm) wide.
The copy used for transcription was bound at a later, unknown date with three volumes of an earlier Mormon newspaper—the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate—in a stamped brown leather binding with decorative gold tooling on the covers and spine. The spine also contains two gold-tooled inscriptions: “MESSENGER | & | ADVOCATE” and “W. WOODRUFF.” The pages were trimmed to 9⅛ × 5½ inches (23 × 14 cm) and the edges and endpaper feature a marbled pattern in blue, tan, red, and yellow. The bound volume measures 9½ × 6 × 1⅜ inches (2 × 15 × 3 cm). It includes marginalia and archival notations and is held at the Church History Library. The bound volume belonged to , though at least some of the loose issues of the Messenger and Advocate originally belonged to Ezra Carter, Woodruff’s father-in-law. After Woodruff’s death, the volume passed to his daughter, Clara Woodruff Beebe, who inscribed her name on a flyleaf and pasted on the inside of the front cover a book plate containing her name. The volume entered the custody of the Church Historian’s Office before June 1964, when pencil markings on a flyleaf indicate the volume was accessed by office staff.

Historical Introduction

In the August 1837 issue of the Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate, a prospectus announced that a new publication, the Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints, would replace the Messenger and Advocate as the church’s newspaper. The prospectus, written by , informed readers that JS would act as editor for the new , Ohio, periodical, which was owned by of the . The first issue of the Elders’ Journal likely appeared sometime in mid- to late October.
By establishing the new periodical, leaders were trying to steer the church’s monthly publication toward a focus on missionary labors. After taking over as editor of the Messenger and Advocate in February 1837, printed lengthy editorials and articles on history and philosophy, devoting less space to missionary work. By September 1837, the Messenger and Advocate had finished its volume run, and a “large body of the of the church” established the Elders’ Journal as a new monthly publication. In the August prospectus, Rigdon called attention to the intended focus on missionary efforts in the and , writing that the new paper was to be “a vehicle of communication for all the elders of the church . . . through which they can communicate to others, all things pertaining to their mission.” By featuring letters from missionaries, the paper would also inform church members of “the progress of the work.”
Assuming editorial control of a new church publication was one of the ways in which JS and other church leaders could limit dissent in . During his time as editor, had occasionally used the columns of the Messenger and Advocate to criticize JS. In a July 1837 editorial, Cowdery asserted: “Whenever a people have unlimited confidence in a civil or eclesiastical rule or rulers, who are but men like themselves, and begin to think they can do no wrong, they increase their tyrany, and oppression. . . . Who does not see a principle of popery and religious tyrany involved in such and order of things?” Cowdery’s editorial echoed the sentiment of other church dissenters who had in previous months expressed similar dissatisfaction with JS’s leadership and his control over spiritual and temporal matters. Several months later, JS informed readers of the Elders’ Journal that the new paper would “pursue a different course from that of our predecessor in the editorial department.” He continued, “We will endeavor not to scandalize our own citizens, especially when there is no foundation in truth for so doing.”
Although JS was listed as editor of the Elders’ Journal, his role in editing the subject matter in the October 1837 issue is unclear, since he was away from from 27 September until approximately 10 December. It is possible that he edited some content before leaving Kirtland, but it is more likely that his younger brother , who was acting temporarily as editor in his absence, authored the editorial sections. Because JS was ultimately responsible for the content of the Elders’ Journal and did in fact author editorials in subsequent issues of the paper, these selections are featured as JS documents.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Elders’ Journal is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents, such as the letter from Wilford Woodruff and Jonathan H. Hale, are annotated elsewhere.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Sidney Rigdon, Elders’ Journal Prospectus, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Aug. 1837, 3:545–547; also reprinted as Sidney Rigdon, Elders’ Journal Prospectus, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Sept. 1837, 3:571–574. Marsh had worked at a Boston type foundry for several years in the 1820s. He then acted as proprietor of the Kirtland-era Elders’ Journal while living in Missouri. Publishers of the new newspaper apparently rented the Kirtland printing office and press from William Marks. According to a statement in the April Messenger and Advocate, JS and Sidney Rigdon transferred ownership of the printing office and its contents to Marks in April 1837, though they apparently acted as his agents following the transfer. (“T B Marsh,” [1], Historian’s Office, Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861, CHL; Masthead, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:496; Sidney Rigdon, Elders’ Journal Prospectus, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Aug. 1837, 3:545–547; Elders’ Journal, Oct. 1837.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    Historian’s Office. Histories of the Twelve, 1856–1858, 1861. CHL. CR 100 93.

    Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Kirtland, OH, Oct.–Nov. 1837; Far West, MO, July–Aug. 1838.

  2. [2]

    See LDS Messenger and Advocate, Feb.–July 1837, 3:449–544. The March 1837 issue of the Messenger and Advocate, for example, included a two-page article on the philosophy of religion, one page on the history of ancient Egypt, and several other articles with titles such as “The Causes of Human Misery,” “Philosophy and Consistency,” and “Duties of Masters and Apprentices.” (LDS Messenger and Advocate, Mar. 1837, 3:472–474.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  3. [3]

    Sidney Rigdon, Elders’ Journal Prospectus, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Aug. 1837, 3:545; “Notice,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Apr. 1837, 3:496. JS and other leaders may have seen October as a logical time to make this transition, given that the third volume of the Messenger and Advocate was coming to a close in September. The first volume (twelve issues in total) had run from October 1834 to September 1835, the second from October 1835 to September 1836, and the third from October 1836 to September 1837. (“Address,” LDS Messenger and Advocate, Oct. 1834, 1:1; Sidney Rigdon, Elders’ Journal Prospectus, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Sept. 1837, 3:571.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  4. [4]

    Sidney Rigdon, Elders’ Journal Prospectus, LDS Messenger and Advocate, Aug. 1837, 3:545–547. The prospectus further asserted that the new periodical would be a vehicle to “transmit to succeeding generations an account of their religion, and a history of their travels, and of the reception which they met with in the nations.” The October and November 1837 issues of the Elders’ Journal did in fact consist primarily of such communications. (Elders’ Journal, Oct. 1837, 1–16; Elders’ Journal, Nov. 1837, 17–32.)

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

    Elders’ Journal of the Church of Latter Day Saints. Kirtland, OH, Oct.–Nov. 1837; Far West, MO, July–Aug. 1838.

  5. [5]

    Around the same time the Elders’ Journal prospectus appeared in the Messenger and Advocate, several church leaders were removed from their positions by a conference of church members for dissenting against JS and the church. In a 4 September letter addressed to John Corrill and the church in Missouri, JS also singled out particular church leaders who he asserted had been in “transgression.” (Minutes, 3 Sept. 1837; Letter to John Corrill and the Church in Missouri, 4 Sept. 1837.)

  6. [6]

    Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1837, 3:538.

    Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.

  7. [7]

    See Letter from Parley P. Pratt, 23 May 1837; and Charges against JS Preferred to Bishop’s Council, 29 May 1837.

  8. [8]

    Elders’ Journal, Nov. 1837, 27.

  9. [9]

    JS to “the Saints Scattered Abroad,” in Elders’ Journal, Nov. 1837, 27; Thomas B. Marsh to Wilford Woodruff, in Elder’s Journal, July 1838, 37; Vilate Murray Kimball, Kirtland, OH, to Heber C. Kimball, Preston, England, 19–24 Jan. 1838, Heber C. Kimball, Collection, CHL.

    Kimball, Heber C. Collection, 1837–1898. CHL. MS 12476.

  10. [10]

    An addendum to a 7 August 1841 entry in JS’s history indicates, “On the commencement of the publication of the Elders Journal in Kirtland, he [Don Carlos Smith] took the control of the establishment until the office was destroyed by fire in December 1837.” (JS History, vol. C-1 Addenda, 12.)

  11. [11]

    See Travel Account and Questions, Nov. 1837.

  12. [12]

    See “Editorial Method”.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Elders’ Journal, October 1837 *Elders’ Journal, October 1837 *Letter from Wilford Woodruff and Jonathan H. Hale, 18 September 1837 *Elders’ Journal, October 1837

Page 2

come on the Lords business, we believed him faithful that had promised, and we felt willing to trust in his name, we soon came to a house, where we were received and we retired to rest. We arose in the morning made ourselves known as servants of the Lord, we inquired if there was any religion or priests on the Island; we were informed that there was a Baptist priest, a small church and a meeting house at the center of the Island. The town of Vinalhaven includes both North and South Fox Islands: Pop. 1800. The inhabitants are generally wealthy, intelligent, industrious, generous and hospitable to strangers. North Island is 9 miles long, and 2 wide, pop. 800. South Island is 10 miles long, and 5 wide, pop. 1000 &c. As it was Sabbath morning there was to be preaching in the meeting house, we concluded to attend considering it a proper place to introduce the gospel. When we arived at the place, meeting had commenced, the deacon came to the door and we informed him that we were servants of the Lord, that we had a message for the people and wished to be heard, the deacon informed the priest that we were preachers of the gospel. He invited us into the stand and gave out an appointment for us at 5 o’clock P. M. After the priest had closed his discourse he invited us to his house during the intermission. We presented him the book of Mormon, he appeared friendly and said he should like to read it. We met according to appointment and preached to them the first principles of the gospel. We then gave out appointments for the four following evenings to be held at the several school houses on the Island. The people came out in great numbers and heard with attention and manifested much anxiety, and in fourteen days we held nineteen meetings. The Baptist priest became alarmed seeing that his craft was in danger; and fearing that if he held his peace all Fox Islands would believe on our words, accordingly he strove to use his influence against us, but without effect as you may judge on learning the fact that on Sunday the 27th while we met with a congregation, he had not so much as one to meet with him at his usual place of worship, for the excitement was so great that the members of his church and deacon, were attending our meetings and inviting us to visit them, and inquiring into these things. The Lord clothed us with his Spirit and we were enabled to stand up and boldly declare those things that are commanded us.— And the sound thereof soon reached the neighboring Islands and some of the inhabitants soon hoisted their sails to convey them over the waters to hear the tidings for themselves. On Sunday the 3rd of Sept. we preached to a large congregation assembled together from these Islands, at the close of our meeting we opened a door for , and a respectable sea captain and his wife offered themselves as candidates, we then assembled where there was much water and after offering up our prayers unto God, we then lead them down into the sea and baptized them and we returned rejoicing. On Monday following we visited the South Island to set before them the truths of the everlasting gospel. We held five meetings, the people came out by hundreds, to hear and filled the schoolhouses to overflowing.
Notwithstanding the anxiety of the people to hear more upon this important subject, yet we were under the necessity of returning to the North Island, to attend an appointment on Sunday, accordingly we met and preached to the people and opened a door for baptism and another sea Captain and a young lady came forward and we repaired to the sea shore and baptized them, and on Tuesday following, we administered the ordinance of baptism unto three others.
A Methodist priest on the South Island fearing whereunto these things would grow, came over to the Island where we were baptizing and made friends with the Baptist priest (like Herod and Pilate) and called a meeting, we attended. The Methodist priest arose and commenced warm hostilities against the book of Mormon, and our principles, we took minutes of his discourse that we might be correct in answering him. As he could not bring proof from the word of God against our principles, and in order to make an impression upon the minds of his hearers against the work; he took the book of Mormon in his hand, and with an out stretched arm declared that he feared none of the judgments of God that would come upon him for rejecting that book as the word of God. When [p. 2]
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Editorial Title
Elders’ Journal, October 1837
ID #
8531
Total Pages
16
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