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
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.
<May 4> “Now the thing is as follows— The Lord had directed me, with a few [HC 3:343] others, whose hearts the Lord has touched to go into the wilderness where we shall be fed, and directed by the hand of the Lord until we are purified & prepared to Minister to the Lamanites, & with us the Lord will send those three, who are spoken of in the book of Mormon, who were with Jesus after his resurrection and have tarried on the Earth to minister to their Brethren in the last days— Thus God is sending us before to prepare a place for you, & for the remnant who will survive the judgments which are now coming on the Church of Latter Day Saints to purify them for we are sent to prepare a Zion (as Joseph was before sent into Egypt) a City of Peace, a Place of Refuge, that you may bide yourselves with us, and all the Saints in the due time of the Lord. before his indignation shall sweep away the nations. These things are marvellous in our eyes, for great is the work of the Lord that he is going to accomplish— all this Land will be redeemed by the hands of the Lamanites, & room made for you, when you hear again from me. Abide where you are, & be subject to the powers that be amongst you in the Church— Keep diligently the things I taught you— & when you read this be comforted concerning me, for though you may not see me for some few years, yet, as many of you <as> continue faithful, will see me again, & it will be in the day of your deliverance. Pray for me alway & be assured that I will not forget you. to the grace of God I commend you in Christ. Amen. Isaac Russel. P.S. we have not yet gone in the wilderness, but we shall go when the Lord appoints the time— If you should hear that I am apostatized believe it not, for I am doing the work of the Lord” I. R.”
being led by the Spirit of God soon unfolded the sophistry and falsehood of this Letter to the convincing of the Saints at Alston and Brampton, so as to entirely destroy their confidence in the apostate Russel although they had loved him as a Father.
<Conference> Minutes of a general conference held by the Church of Latter Day Saints, at the Presbyterian Camp ground, near Adams County, Illinois, on Saturday the 4th. of May 1839. At a quarter past eleven o clock meeting was called to order, and Prest. Joseph Smith Jr. appointed Chairman, [HC 3:344] a hymn was then sung, when Prest. Smith, made a few observations on the state of his peculiar feelings, after having been separated from the Brethren so long &c &c and then proceeded to open the meeting by prayer After some preliminary observations by Elder and concerning a certain purchase of Land in the made for the Church by the Presidency, when the following resolutions were unanimously adopted. Resolved 1st. That , & , be appointed a travelling Committee to gather up and obtain all the libelous reports, and publications, which have been circulated against our Church. as well as other historical matter, connected with said church, that they can possibly obtain [p. 933]