History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. D-1, created 4 July 1845–4 Feb. 1846 and 1 July 1854–2 May 1855; handwriting of , Robert L. Campbell, and ; 275 pages, plus 6 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fourth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fourth volume covers the period from 1 Aug. 1842 to 1 July 1843; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume D-1, constitutes the fourth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 August 1842 to 1 July 1843, and it was compiled after JS’s death.
The material recorded in volume D-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , with the assistance of . After Richards’s death in 1854, continued work on the volume as the new church historian with Bullock’s continued help. The process adopted by Richards and Bullock involved Richards creating a set of rough draft notes and Bullock transcribing the notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). George A. Smith followed a similar pattern, though he dictated the draft notes to Bullock and other scribes.
According to the Church Historian’s Office journal, finished the third volume of the series, volume C-1, on Thursday, 3 July 1845, in , Illinois. He began work on the fourth volume, D-1, the next day, beginning on page 1362 with the entry for 1 August 1842. (The pages in volumes A-1–E-1 were numbered consecutively.) Bullock continued work on the record, drawing upon ’s draft notes, until 3 February 1846—the day before D-1 and the other volumes were packed up in preparation for the Latter-day Saints’ exodus from Nauvoo. At that point he had reached page 1485 with the entry for 28 February 1843. Subsequently, apparently after the collection had arrived in Utah, Bullock added a brief comment beneath that entry: “end of W. Richard’s compiling[.] the books packed Feby. 4— 1846 in Nauvoo[.] Miles Romney— present. The records carried by T Bullock from Winter Quarters to G S L [Great Salt Lake] City in 1848.”
A notation at the top of page 1486 reports that “the books were unpacked in G. S. L. City by and . June 7. 1853. J[onathan] Grimshaw & Miles Romney present.” Vertically, in the margin, is a poignant epitaph: “Decr. 1 1853 Dr. Willard Richards wrote one line of History—being sick at the time—and was never able to do any more.” With Richards’s death on 11 March 1854, JS’s cousin was called to the office of church historian. The notation on the top of page 1486 acknowledges this change in officers, noting, “commencement of George A. Smith’s compiling as Historian. April 13. 1854[.] [C]ommenced copying July 1. 1854.” From mid-April to the end of June 1854, George A. Smith, in collaboration with Thomas Bullock, worked on the draft notes for the history before a new scribe, , resumed writing in D-1 on 1 July 1854, beginning with the entry for 1 March 1843.
continued transcribing intermittently into the late fall of 1854, when he was assigned other duties in the Historian’s Office. He had reached page 1546 with the entry for 5 May 1843. Work resumed in February 1855 in the hand of Robert L. Campbell, recently returned from a mission. He concluded volume D-1 on the morning of 2 May 1855 and began writing in E-1 that afternoon.
The 274 pages of volume D-1 contain a record of much that is significant in the life of JS and the development of the church he founded. Among these events are
• JS’s 6 August 1842 prophecy that the Saints would become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.
•JS’s 8 August 1842 arrest on a warrant for being “an accessory before the fact” to an attack on former governor .
• ’s 17 August 1842 letter to governor , pleading for the humane treatment of her husband and family.
•JS’s 1 and 6 September 1842 instructions regarding the proper procedures for performing baptisms for the dead.
• JS’s 15 November 1842 “Valedictory” as he stepped down as editor of the Times and Seasons.
• The 26 December 1842 arrest of JS on a “proclamation” by former governor , and subsequent hearing in , Illinois.
• The 7 February 1843 recovery of a volume of patriarchal blessings given by , which had been stolen in , Missouri.
• JS’s 21 February 1843 remarks regarding the and .
• JS’s 2 April 1843 instruction at , Illinois, on the nature of God and other subjects.
• JS’s 16 May 1843 remarks at , Illinois, on the everlasting covenant and eternal marriage.
• The account of JS’s 23 June 1843 arrest and his hearing the following week at .
Footnotes
Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 and 4 July 1845.
Historian’s Office, Journal, 1 July 1854.
Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855.
<January 20> my way through their ranks, looking after their best race horse thinking they might catch me, where they could find me, when I awoke”
To dream of flying ‘signifies prosperity and deliverance from enemies. To dream of swimming in deep water signifies success among many people, and that the word will be accompanied with power. I told that when he spoke in the name of the Lord it should prove true, but he must not curse the people, rather bless them. I prophecy in the name of the Lord God, as soon as we get the built, so that we shall not be obliged to exhaust our means thereon, we will have means to gather the Saints by thousands and tens of thousands. This Council was called to reconsider the case of , who had previously been cut off from the quorum of the Twelve for <disobedience> and had been ordained an apostle in his place; <I told the quorum you may receive back into the quorum of the Twelve, and I will find another> he was still a member, that he had not been cut off legally, and I would find some place for , to which the council agreed. <I can take on into the First Presidency.> said there were but three present when was ordained; <the rest of the Twelve being either on missions or sick.> I told them that was legal when no more could be had. I told the Council that from the 6th. day of April next I go in for preparing, with all present, for a Mission through the , and when we arrive at , we will take Ship for , and so on to all Countries where we shall have a mind to go. We must send for to [HC 5:255] come home, and have all the Quorum to start from this place. Let the Twelve be called on, on the 6th. of April, and a notice be given for a special conference on the Platform of the — If I live, I will yet take these brethren through the , and through the world, and will make just as big a wake as God Almighty will let me, we must send Kings and Governors to and we will do it. At 3 o’clock Council adjourned to my house, and at 4 I baptized , and his Wife , and in the , and confirmed them in the Church, ordaining to his former office and standing in the Quorum of the Twelve.
See 21 Jan. 1843 entry in History Draft.
<21> Saturday 21. At home, except going out in the with <Elder> to look at some lots.
See 22 Jan. 1843 entry in History Draft.
<22> Sunday 22 I preached at the on the setting up of the Kingdom of God[.] The subject arose from two questions proposed at a Lyceum. 1st. Did John baptize for remission of sins? 2nd. Whether the Kingdom of God was set up before the day of Pentecost or not till then? To the first question I answered “he did” It is acknowledged of all men that John preached the Gospel, and must have preached the first principles, if so, he must have preached the doctrine of Baptism for the remission of sins, for that is the first principle of the Gospel and was ordained before the foundation of the world. I next give my own testimony, because I know it from God. On the second question I said Where the oracles of God are revealed, there is the Kingdom of God— Wherever the oracles of God are, and subjects to obey those oracles, there is the Kingdom of God— What constitutes the Kingdom of God? an Administrator who has the power of calling down the oracles of God, and subjects to receive those oracles, no matter if there are but three, four or six, there is the Kingdom of God &c— No generation was ever saved or destroyed upon dead testimony, neither can be, but by living testimony are they judged <the following is a synopsis of this sermon as reported by Elder > <(see addenda, page 4)> [HC 5:256] [HC 5:257] [HC 5:258]
See 23 Jan. 1843 entry in History Draft.
<23> Monday 23 Was at home and wrote the Editor of the “Wasp” as follows—
“Dear Sir— [p. 1457]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
Insertion in handwriting of Leo Hawkins.
Insertion in handwriting of Leo Hawkins.
Insertion in handwriting of Leo Hawkins.
See 21 Jan. 1843 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 21 Jan. 1843.
See 22 Jan. 1843 entry in History Draft.
Richards, Journal, 20 Jan. 1843; JS, Journal, 22 Jan. 1843; Woodruff, Journal, 19 Jan. 1843.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
See 23 Jan. 1843 entry in History Draft.
JS, Journal, 23 Jan. 1843; JS, Nauvoo, IL, 23 Jan. 1843, Letter to the editor, The Wasp, 28 Jan. 1843, [4].
The Wasp. Nauvoo, IL. Apr. 1842–Apr. 1843.
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