History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
History, 1838–1856, volume B-1 [1 September 1834–2 November 1838]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, , and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, and chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, , , , and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—, Ohio, and northwest —during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.
on a years credit, from three and a half to $10,20 per Acre, making our first <July 7 Letter Continued.> school fund five thousand and seventy dollars!! Land cannot be had round town now much less than $10. per acre. Our numbers increase daily, and, notwithstanding the season has been cold and backward, no one has lacked a meal, or went hungry. Provisions have risen, but not as high as our accounts Say they are abroad. Public notice has been given by the mob in , north of us, for the Mormons to leave that county by the first of August, and go into . Our enemies will not slumber, till Satan knows the bigness of his lot. Our town gains some, we have about one hundred buildings, 8 of which are stores. If the brethren abroad are wise, and will come on with means, and help enter the land and populate the , and build the , we shall soon have one of the most [HC 2:496] precious spots on the Globe. God Grant that it may be so. Of late, we receive little news from you and we think much of that is exagerated, as ever, . N.B. Please say in your Messenger and Advocate, “A Post office has been established at , Caldwell County, Missouri.”
The same day the Garrick passed the Banks of Newfoundland.
Some time previous to this I resigned my office in the “ Safety Society” disposed of my interest therein, and withdrew from the institution: being fully aware, after so long an experiment, that no institution of the kind, established upon just and righteous principles, for a blessing not only to the church, but the whole nation, would be suffered to continue its operations in such an age of darkness, speculation, and Wickedness. All Banks throughout the , one <Situation of the World.> after another, suspended specie payment, and gold and silver rose in value in direct ratio with the depreciation of paper currency The great pressure in the money market was is felt in England, as well as , and bread stuffs are every where high: the season has been cool, wet, and backward. Mexico, unwilling to acknowledge the independence of Texas, considers her inhabitants as rebellious subjects. Spain is divided against herself, wasting her blood and treasure in her own destruction. Portugal is rapidly exhausting her resources in princely luxuries. Poland has lost her rank among the Nations. to gratify the ambition of Nicholas, the Russian Autocrat. The Government of Buenos-Ayres has declared war against Peru, and nearly all the Republics of South America are mingled in the strife: While the Indians continue their depredations on the inhabitants of Florida. Trouble and distress are the grand topics of conversation amongst politicians, merchants, mechanics, and demagogues; and crimes. misdemeanors. and casualties, occupy a large space in the public Journals. [HC 2:497]
<16> Sunday July 16th. preached on the Quarter Deck of the Garrick concerning the prophecies; The cabin passengers listened with attention and were particularly affected during prayer.— Also a little child, belonging to some of the steerage passengers, that was sick until it was considered hopeless, was healed by <the power of God> laying its <his> hands on it secretly.
<18> On the 18th the Garrick entered St Georges channel in sight of Cape Clear. [p. 764]
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Source Note
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Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [357]
Richards, Journal, 7 July 1837.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
- [358]
[Warren Cowdery], Editorial, LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1837, 3:537.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
- [359]
“Summary of the News of the Day,”LDS Messenger and Advocate, July 1837, 3:527.
Latter Day Saints’ Messenger and Advocate. Kirtland, OH. Oct. 1834–Sept. 1837.
- [360]
Kimball, “Journal and Record,” 96–97; Richards, Journal, 16 July 1837.
Kimball, Heber C. “The Journal and Record of Heber Chase Kimball an Apostle of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,” ca. 1842–1858. Heber C. Kimball, Papers, 1837–1866. CHL. MS 627, box 1.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
- [361]
Richards, Journal, 18 July 1837.
Richards, Willard. Journals, 1836–1853. Willard Richards, Papers, 1821–1854. CHL. MS 1490, boxes 1–2.
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