Times and Seasons (, Hancock Co., IL), 1 Mar. 1842, vol. 3, no. 9, pp. 703–718; edited by JS. For more complete source information, see the source note for Letter to Isaac Galland, 22 Mar. 1839.
Historical Introduction
The first issue of the -affiliated newspaper Times and Seasons was published near , Illinois, in 1839. Owned jointly by and , the paper was edited at various times by Smith, Robinson, and through summer 1841. Following the deaths of Smith and Thompson in August 1841, Robinson became sole proprietor and editor of the paper. On 28 January 1842 JS dictated a revelation that directed the to assume editorial responsibility for the paper. A week later Robinson sold the newspaper, along with the remainder of his printing establishment, to JS.
Though JS assumed editorship of the Times and Seasons sometime in mid-February, he stated in his first editorial passage that he did not begin reviewing the paper’s content until the 1 March 1842 issue. A 2 March 1842 entry in JS’s journal notes, “Read the Proof of the ‘Times and Seasons’ as Editor for the first time, No. 9[th] Vol 3d. in which is the commencement of the Book of Abraham.” Though JS actively edited the paper at times, apparently assisted him in writing content. Regardless of who penned specific passages of editorial material, JS openly assumed editorial responsibility for all installments naming him as editor except the 15 February 1842 issue.
Included in the 1 March 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons are four editorial passages, which are featured below with introductions. Other JS documents published in this issue of the newspaper, including an excerpt from the Book of Abraham and a rare narrative history of the church, are featured as stand-alone documents in this or other volumes of The Joseph Smith Papers. In the first editorial passage, JS publicly announced his new role as editor of the Times and Seasons to the newspaper’s readership.
Note that only the editorial content created specifically for this issue of the Times and Seasons is annotated here. Articles reprinted from other papers, letters, conference minutes, and notices, are reproduced here but not annotated. Items that are stand-alone JS documents are annotated elsewhere; links are provided to these stand-alone documents.
Ebenezer Robinson, “To the Patrons of the Times and Seasons,” Times and Seasons, 16 Aug. 1841, 2:511; Ebenezer Robinson, “Items of Personal History of the Editor,” Return, May 1890, 257; July 1890, 302; see also Crawley, Descriptive Bibliography, 1:91–92.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
The Return. Davis City, IA, 1889–1891; Richmond, MO, 1892–1893; Davis City, 1895–1896; Denver, 1898; Independence, MO, 1899–1900.
Crawley, Peter. A Descriptive Bibliography of the Mormon Church. 3 vols. Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 1997–2012.
In the 15 March 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons,Robinson confirmed JS’s declaration. Apprising readers that in early February it had not been “fully decided whether President Smith should take the responsibility of editor, or not,” Robinson stated that the 15 February issue went to press without JS’s “personal inspection.” (Ebenezer Robinson, “To the Public,” Times and Seasons, 15 Mar. 1842, 3:729.)
Beloved Brethren, we as the messengers of the Lord feel to call upon you to help roll on the great and mighty work—it is our duty so to do and it is your reasonable service—and the Lord will bless you in so doing. We subscribe ourselves your humble servants and standard bearers to the world.
, President.
, Clerk of the .
————
NOTICE.
There will be a general of the and members of the , held at the of said Church, on the 6th day of April, 1842. The members of adjacent conferences are invited to attend.
Sec. 1. Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of , That no person or persons whatsoever shall, after the publication of this act, sell or expose to sale by way of vendue, or auction, any property, real or personal, within the city of , unless such person or persons shall reside within the said city, and first obtain a licence for the purpose from the Mayor, for which such person or persons shall pay to the corporation, not exceeding one hundred dollars, and give bond to the Mayor and Council, with two good securities, in the sum of one thousand dollars, for the honest and due performance of all the duties required by law.
Sec.2. That if any person or persons shall be found selling or disposing of any property real or personal, within the city of , by way of vendue, or auction, without having obtained such license, and given such security, as aforesaid, such person or persons so offending, and being thereof lawfully convicted, shall forfeit and pay to the corporation, the sum of twenty five dollars for every lot which he or they shall have so sold.
Sec.3. That the auctioneer or auctioneers licensed as aforesaid, shall receive all articles which he or they shall be required to sell at auction, giving his or their receipt for the same, if reqired, and within ten days after any sale made, shall deliver a fair account of the same, and pay the amount thereof to the person or persons entitled thereto, deducting therefrom, the fees and commissions hereafter allowed, that is to say, on the amount of the sale of personal property of every description, a commission of five per cent. except public securities, and bank or other incorporated stocks, respecting which a different rate is hereinafter prescribed, and on the amount of sale of real estate, public securities and bank or other incorporated stocks, two per cent. on the first two hundred dollars, and one per cent. on the next one thousand three hundred dollars; and if the amount of sales shall exceed fifteen hundred dollars, then one fourth of one per cent. on such excess; and when the said auctioneer or auctioneers shall let by auction any real property, on ground rent, he or they shall be entitled to receive a commission on a sum equal to ten years amount of such rent; and in all cases when any article shall be actually exposed to sale, which shall not be sold, by reason of its not producing the price at which it may be limited, it shall be lawful for the auctioneer or auctioneers to demand and receive, on the sum at which such article shall have been struck off, one fourth of the commission which he or they would have been entitled to receive, had it been actually sold; and every auctioneer who shall demand or receive any fees or commissions not allowed by law, or greater fees or commissions than are so allowed, shall forfeit four times the amount of fees and commissions so demanded or received, to the use of the person or persons on whom such demand shall be made, or from whom such fees or commissions shall be received: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent any auctioneer from charging and receiving a reasonable compensation for extra trouble for services rendered.
Sec. 4, That no person or persons, licensed as aforesaid, shall receive goods for sale, of any servant or minor, unless accompanied by a certificate from the owner or owners thereof, nor expose to public sale any real or personal property, without first making out in writing, and signing, and publicly reading the conditions of sale, nor without advertising the property intended for sale, and the time and place of sale in a newspaper, or by posting up notices in three public places [p. 716]