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
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 .
<May 27> Sisters Jarman, and Adams. and others gave their testimony, when they disfel[HC 5:409]lowshipped , and took his until he made satisfaction to the aggrieved parties
Extract from s Journal.
“A rainy day. I arose sick in the morning in consequence of hard labor and being heated the day before I was confined to my bed the fore part of the day. In the afternoon I met in Council with the Twelve and when the case of was brought up on trial, for improper conduct, slandering the Saints in for rejecting the Council of , Joseph, and the Twelve, and tearing to pieces the Saints, instead of building <them> up. plead for mercy, Joseph for justice and the Twelve decided according to testimony, and in all we had an interesting time. was refractory and out of order. Joseph wished the Twelve or of the to call the house to order. Several letters were read touching the subject after which made a lengthy speech trying to justify himself, was followed by President who plead in behalf of on the side of mercy. gave his testimony against , then followed and both spoke several times, then President Joseph Smith arose and rebuked in the sharpest manner, said he had a lying Spirit, and had lied about him, and told him of many of his errors, after hearing the testimony Elder President of the Quorum of the Twelve, said he had made up his mind, and his decision was, that should give up his license and cease preaching until he should reform. President said he should not like to have such a decision given without another trial, and give a chance to get more testimony if he could. said he should then prefer to have the case turned over to the . Prest. Joseph Smith said it was not the business of the High Council they could not try him, it belonged to the Twelve and them alone, for it was concerning matters abroad and not in . The High Council was to try cases that belong to this , and the Twelve to regulate the churches and Elders abroad in all the World, and ’s case comes under the jurisdiction of the Twelve, and them alone. [HC 5:410] President urged that the case should be put off until to morrow. President J. Smith said the case might be put off until to morrow at 10 o’Clock if it would do anybody any good. Prest. arose and spoke in the majesty of his calling, and among other remarks said his mind was made up and the remarks of Brother or of brother Joseph had not altered it, as for himself he would not sit upon the case another day, he considered the course had taken an insult upon his office and calling as an apostle of Jesus Christ, and he would not bear it, as for the rest of the Twelve they might do as they pleased, as for himself he would not submit to it. has despised and rejected the Council of the Presidency and the Twelve, has said they had no jurisdiction over him in and to say where he should go &c. but he and others will find there is power in the Twelve, we know through whom we have received our power, and who are our benefactors, and we are thankful for it. has never for the first time received our Council [p. 1562]