History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, , and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, and chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, , , , and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—, Ohio, and northwest —during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.
While the Elders were in they wrote as follows:
<April 13 Prophecy on Thomas Webster> “. Good Friday. “April 13th, 1838. Dear Brothers and Sisters in : It seemeth good unto us, and also unto the Holy Spirit to write you a few words, which cause pain in our hearts, and will also pain you when they are fulfilled before you; yet you shall have joy in the end. Brother Webster -[Thomas Webster]- will not abide in the Spirit of the Lord, but will reject the truth, and become the enemy of the people of God, and expose the mysteries which have been committed to him, that a righteous judgment may be executed upon him, unless he speedily repent.
When this sorrowful prediction shall be fulfilled, this Letter shall be read to the Church, and it shall prove a solemn warning to all to beware. Farewell in the Lord. . .
The foregoing letter was written and sealed in presence of Presidents and who had gone to to witness the brethren sail, and by the writers committed to their special charge that no one should know the contents until the fulfilment thereof. Previous to this period very little of the foolish and wicked stories which filled the weekly Journals, and pamphlets in , concerning the Mormons, -[as the saints [HC 3:21] were termed]- had found its way into the English prints, but <15 Liveseys Pamphlets> immediately after, Elders and left , or about the 15th of April, One Livesy, (a Methodist Priest, who had previously spent some years in , and said he heard nothing about the saints in ,) came out with a pamphlet made up of forged letters, Apostate lies. and “walk on the water” stories he found in old American papers which he had picked up while in , but he stopped the circulation of his own pamphlets by stating to a public congregation that he had “accidentally found the contents of the pamphlet in old papers in his trunk which was quite providential to stop such abominable work as the Saints were engaged in,”— and in the same Lecture said he “wished the people to purchase his pamphlets as he had been at great expence to procure the materials for writing it.” His hearers retired.
<Tuesday 17. Revelation to > I received the following Revelation. Given at . April 17,th 1844 <1838>
Verily thus saith the Lord, it is wisdom in My Servant , that he settle up all his business, as soon as he possibly can, and make a disposition of his merchandize, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring in company with others, even Twelve, including himself, to testify of my name, and bear glad tidings unto all the world, for verily thus saith the Lord, that inasmuch as there are those among you who deny my name, others shall be planted in their stead and receive their Bishoprick. Amen.
<Revelation to .> Also I received the following Revelation. Given to at . April 17th. 1838.
Verily thus saith the Lord, let my Servant , go unto the place which he has bought, on , an[d] there provide for his family until an affectual door is opened for the support of his family until I Shall command <him> to go home, and not to leave his family until they are amply provided for: Amen.
< & sailed. 20> Elders and sailed from on the ship Garrick. April 20th. [HC 3:22]
< Thursday, 26. Revelation.> I received the following Revelation. Given at . April 26th. 1838 Making known the will of God concerning the building up of this place, and of [p. 790]
Source Note
Source Note
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Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [421]
Kimball, “Journal and Record,” 81.
Kimball, Heber C. “The Journal and Record of Heber Chase Kimball an Apostle of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” ca. 1842–1858. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 1.
- [422]
- [423]
- [424]
Kimball, “Journal and Record,” 82.
Kimball, Heber C. “The Journal and Record of Heber Chase Kimball an Apostle of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” ca. 1842–1858. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 1.
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