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
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.
, Chenango County, New York, came in to make some <November 13.> enquiries about ’s family. We entered into conversation upon religious subjects, and went to s and spent the evening in conversation. We preached the Gospel to him, and bore testimony of what we had seen and heard. He attempted to raise some objections, but the force of truth bore him down and he was silent although unbeleiving. I returned home and retired to rest.
<14> Saturday Morning 14th. Thus came the word of the Lord <Word of the Lord concerning > unto me saying;
verily thus saith the Lord unto my Servant Joseph, concerning my servant , behold, his sins are forgiven him, because of his desires to do the works of righteousness, therefore inasmuch as he will continue to hearken unto my voice he shall be blessed with wisdom, and with a sound mind even above his fellows. Behold it shall come to pass in his day, that he shall see great things shew forth themselves unto my people, he shall see much of my ancient Records, and shall know of hidden things, and shall be endowed with a knowledge of hidden languages; and if he desires and shall seek it at my hand he shall be privileged with writing much of my word, as a scribe unto me for the benefit of my people; Therefore this shall be his calling until I shall order it otherwise in my wisdom, and it shall be said of him in <a> time to come; Behold , the Lord’s Scribe, for the Lord’s Seer [HC 2:311] whom he hath appointed in Israel: Therefore, if he will keep my commandments, he shall be lifted up at the last day, even so. Amen.
This after-noon. , of , Ohio. called on me to enquire about the establishment of the church, and to be instructed in doctrine more perfectly: I gave him a brief relation of my experience while in my juvenile years, say from six years old up to the time I received the first visitation of Angels, which was when I was about fourteen years old. also the revelations that I received afterwards concerning the book of mormon, and a short account of the rise and progress of the church up to this date. He listened very attentively, and seemed highly gratified, and intends to unite with the church.
<Sabbath. 15. Meting> On Sabbath morning 15th. he [Erastus Holmes] went with me to meeting, which was held in the school-house, as the was not finished plastering. preached on the subject of men’s being called to preach the gospel, their qualifications &c.. We had a fine discourse it was very interesting indeed. was well satisfied, and returned and dined with me. Said has been a member of the Methodist Church and was excommunicated for receiving the elders of the <afternoon. ’s case> Latter Day Saints into his house. Went to meeting in the afternoon. Before partaking of the sacrament, ’s case [p. 642]