History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth 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 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
• An account of JS’s sermon, 7 April 1844.
<January 29> and I will attend <as many as convenient> them. Tell the people we have had Whig and democratic Presidents long enough; we want a President of the . If I ever get into the Presidential chair, I will protect the people in their rights and liberties. I will not electioneer for myself— , , , and must go. must go or he will apostatize. The Whigs are striving for a king under the garb of democracy. There is oratory enough in the church to carry me into the Presidential chair the first slide.”
Captn. White of was at the last night, [HC 6:188] and this morning drank a toast: “May all your enemies be skinned, and their skins be made into drum heads for your friends to beat upon.” Also “May become the empire seat of Government.”
I—— dictated to the heads of my pamphlet entitled. “Views on the powers and policy of the Government of the ”.
A Millerite lecturer came into the office with , about 5 p. m. I had some conversation with him about the definition of the Greek word Hades, and the Hebrew word Shoal &c..
He lectured in the evening in the Hall.
Prayer Meeting at Elder ’s.
wrote the following expostulatory epistle to the Citzens of , through the Signal;—
“ Jan 29. 1844
Dear Sir, I have received the copy of the proceedings and resolutions of a meeting of the citizens of , which you did me the honor to send me.
I have observed with regret that occasions have been presented, for disturbing the peace of your : and if I knew what I could legally do to apply a corrective, I would be very ready to do it. But if you are a lawyer, or at all conversant with the law, you will know that I, as a Governor, have no right to interfere in your difficulties.
As yet, I believe that there has been nothing like war among you: and I hope that all of you, will have the good sense to see the necessity of preserving peace. If there is anything wrong in the charters, or in the mode of administering them, you will see that nothing short of legislative or judicial power is capable of enforcing a remedy. I myself had the honor of calling the attention of the legislature to this subject at the last Session; but a large majority of both political parties in that body, either did not see the evil which you complain of; or if they did they repeatedly refused to correct it. And yet a call is made upon me to do that which all parties refused to do at <the> last Session. I have also been called upon to take away the arms from the Mormons: to raise the militia to arrest a supposed fugitive; and in fact to repeal some of the ordinances of the city of . is justly famed for its intelligence; and I cannot [HC 6:189] believe that any of its citizens are so ignorant as not to know that [p. 1870]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
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TEXT: Arrow drawn to line below indicating there should not be a paragraph break.
- [704]
Woodruff, Journal, 29 Jan. 1844.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
- [705]
Thomas Ford, “Governor Ford’s Letter,” Times and Seasons, 15 Feb. 1844, 5:443–444; Thomas Ford, “Governor Ford’s Letter,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 21 Feb. 1844, [2].
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
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