History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842] [addenda]
History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of , , Jonathan Grimshaw, and ; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “’s forces” at , Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop at , Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.
Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author. , , , and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.
The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in by the and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to ; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch ; the establishment of the city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo ; the expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.
<December 25— 1838> My brother , and returned, having travelled fifteen hundred miles, nine hundred on foot and the remainder by Steam Boat and otherwise. They visited several branches and would have accomplished the object of their mission, had it not been for the troubles at . When nearly home they were known and pursued by the mob, which compelled them to travel one hundred miles in two days and nights. The ground at the time was very slippery and a severe north west wind was blowing in their faces, they had but little to eat and narrowly escaped freezing both nights (see page 876)
<November 28 1840 page 1123> Elders and , the Committee appointed at the October Conference, wrote a petition to Congress for the redress of the grievances of the Latter-Day-Saints in , setting forth their wrongs and sufferings, in substance the same as my petition of the 28th. November 1839 in connection with and . (page 1123)
<September 28 1840> On the night of the 28th. Elder had the following dream, <as related by himself> “Having great anxiety for the welfare of the small <page 1102> branch which we had raised in , I retired to rest and had the following dream— I thought that we dug a well <(by )> on high ground in order to obtain Water, and after digging some considerable time, we came to an Excellent Spring, we then commenced to back it up, but before it was finished we had occasion to leave for a short time, and when we returned to complete <it> we found it <carefully><carefully> filled up, with sand, and all attempts to remove it, proving unavailing, we thought it better to choose another spot on lower ground, where we were successful. When we returned to , we experienced a perfect fulfillment of my Dream <having to open a new preaching place ><having to open a new preaching place — —> at Barrett’s academy, King Square, Goswell road— <our former place being closed against us> see page 1102
<August 30 1840> Elders , & , after having spent ten days visiting the Clergymen and Preachers <and others> of the several denominations, asking the privilege of preaching in their Chapels, [blank] and being continually refused by them in a contemptuous manner, they determined to preach in the open air, Jonah like; and accordingly went to Smithfield market, (to the spot where John Rodgers was burnt at the Stake,) <(by > for the purpose of preaching at 10 a.m., where they were notified by the Police that the Lord Mayor had issued orders, prohibiting street preaching in the City. A Mr. Connor stept up and said, “I will shew you a place outside of his jurisdiction”; and guided them to Tabernacle square, where they found an assembly of about 400 people listening to a preacher <who was> standing on a Chair; when he got thro’, another preacher rose to speak. stated to the first clergyman, “there is a man present, from , who would like to preach”; which was granted; when Elder delivered a discourse of about 20 min: on the first principles of the gospel, taking for his text Mark 16 ch 16 v; after which asked the preacher to give out another appointment at the same place for the American Elders to preach; when he jumped up and said, “I have just learned that the Gentleman who has addressed you is a Latter Day Saint; I know them; they are a very bad people; they have split up many churches, and have done a great deal of hurt”; he spoke all manner of evil and gave the L.D.S. a very bad character, and commanded the people not to hear the Elders, “as we have got the gospel, and can save the people, without Infidelity, Socialism, or Latter Day Saints”. asked the privilege of standing on the chair to give out an appointment himself; the preacher said, “you shall not do it, you have no right to preach here”; jerked the chair away from him, and ran away with it; several of the crowd said, “you have as much right to preach here, as he has and give out your appointment”; whereupon gave out an appointment for 3 o’clock p.m. at which time a large congregation was gathered; after opening the meeting by singing and prayer, spoke about 30 min: from Gal: 1 ch 8. 9. v upon the first principles of the gospel. followed upon the same subjects; the people gave good attention, and seemed much interested in what they heard; the inhabitants who lived around the square opened their windows to four stories high; the most of them were crowded with anxious listeners, which is an uncommon occurrence; the meeting was dismissed in the midst of good feelings. Mr. Conner invited the Elders to his house; soon after they arrived there, felt impressed to return to the place of preaching; when he got there, he found [p. 19 [addenda]]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [1688]
George A. Smith, Autobiography, 116–121.
Smith, George A. Autobiography, ca. 1860–1882. George Albert Smith, Papers, 1834–1877. CHL. MS 1322, box 1, fd. 2.
- [1689]
Woodruff, Journal, 30 Aug. 1842.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Go to page