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.
<February 20> I instructed the Twelve Apostles to send out a delegation and investigate the locations of and , and hunt out a good location where we can remove to after, the is completed, and where we can build a city in a day, and have a Government of our own; get up into the Mountains where the Devil can not dig us out, and live in a healthy climate— where we can live as old as we have a mind to.
[10 lines blank]
Warm. The ice floating down the .
A meeting of the citizens of was held at the Court House in . Passed a resolution that the 2nd. Saturday of March be appointed for a general Wolf hunt, being the same day [HC 6:222] selected by the convention of the 17th. inst. for a day of fasting and prayer for my destruction.
<21.> Wednesday 21. The Rev. Mr. De Wolfe, Episcopalian, lectured in the Assembly Room in the evening. I attended, and after the sermon at his request, spoke to the people, showing them, that to get salvation, we must not only do somethings, but every thing which God has commanded. Men may preach and practice every thing except those things which God commands us to do, and will be damned at last, we may tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs and still not obey the commandments of God, the object with me is to obey and teach others to obey God, in just what he tells us to do. It mattereth not whether the principle is popular or unpopular, I will always maintain a true principle even if I stand alone in it.
My Pacific Inuendo written on the 17th. inst. appeared in the Neighbor of to day, in connection with ’s letter of the 29th. January.
Ice left the West bank of the , opposite the lower brick house.
Very warm and pleasant.
Council of the Twelve met in my ; I insert the Minutes
“At a Meeting of the Twelve, at the Mayor’s February 21— 1844. 7 o’Clock P. M., , , , , , , , and four others being present, called by previous notice, by instruction of President Joseph Smith on the 20th. inst. for the purpose of selecting a company to explore and — and select a site for a new city for the Saints.
, , [p. 1896]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [768]
“Wolf Hunt,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 28 Feb. 1844, [2].
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
- [769]
See 21 Feb. 1844 entry in History Draft.
- [770]
JS, Journal, 21 Feb. 1844; Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1844.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
- [771]
“Pacific Innuendo,” Nauvoo Neighbor, 21 Feb. 1844, [2].
Nauvoo Neighbor. Nauvoo, IL. 1843–1845.
- [772]
JS, Journal, 21 Feb. 1844.
- [773]
JS, Journal, 21 Feb. 1844; Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1844; Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Minutes, 21 Feb. 1844.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Minutes, 1840–1844. CHL.
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