History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]
History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842]
Source Note
Source Note
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
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.
1842.
<January 1> Saturday January 1. 1842 <See addenda book page 50.> I commenced placing goods on the Shelves of my New assisted by Bishop and others, and in the evening attended City Council. 512 Saints were reported at the Glasgow Conference of this date.
<Several of the Twelve spent the day at ’s, and in the City Council, which lasted from 6 P.M. until midnight on the trial of .>
<2.> <Sunday 2. Meeting at my house day and evening. and preached.>
<4> Tuesday 4 I wrote Dr. of on business.
Joseph Duncan Candidate for Governor of , made an Inflamatory Speech against the Saints. at Edwards ville, a mass of falsehood. [HC 4:490]
<5> Wednesday 5. I dictated a — — — — letter to , West Nantmeal Pennsylvania <as follows, See addenda book page 50> signed over and delivered the Town Plot of , to me as Sole Trustee in Trust for the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints. My new was open for business this day for the first time, was filled with Customers and I was almost continually behind the Counter, as Clerk— waiting on my friends. [HC 4:491]
<6> The new year has been ushered in and continued thus far under the most favorable auspices, and the Saints seem to be influenced by a kind and indulgent providence in their disposition and means to rear the of the Most High God, anxiously looking forth to the completion thereof, as an event of the greatest importance to the Church and the World Making the Saints in to rejoice, and the Hypocrite and Sinner to tremble Truly this is a day long to be remembered by the Saints of the Last Days, A day in which the God of Heaven has begun to restore the ancient order of his Kingdom unto his servants and his people; a day in which all things are concurring — — — — to bring about the completion of the fullness <of the gospel, a fulness> of the Dispensation of Dispensations even the fulness of times; a day in which God has begun to make manifest and set in order in his Church, those things which have been, and those things, which the ancient prophets and wise men desired to see, but died without beholding it, a day in which those things begin to be made manifest, which have been hid from before the foundation of the world, and which Jeho[HC 4:492]vah has promised should be made known in his own due time, unto his servants, to prepare the Earth for the return of his glory, even a celestial glory; and a Kingdom of Priests and Kings to God and the Lamb for ever, on Mount Zion, or the hundred and forty and four thousand whom John the Revelator saw; which should come to pass in the restitution of all things.
<Conference held at , at which the Stake was discontinued. A branch organized and appointed President.>
<12> Wednesday 12 The Ship “Tremont” sailed from for with the <143> Saints, about this time <under the care of Stephen Nixon.>
The following notice was published in the Times and Seasons
“Tithings and consecrations for the of the Lord. From this time the Recorder’s Office will be opened on the Saturday of each week for the reception of the Tithings and consecrations of the brethren, and closed on every other day in the week This regulation is necessary, to give the Trustee and Recorder time to arrange the [p. 1268]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [1248]
See 1 Jan. 1842 entry in History Draft.
- [1249]
JS, Journal, 1 and 5 Jan. 1842; Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 1 Jan. 1842, 41.
Nauvoo City Council Minute Book / Nauvoo City Council. “A Record of the Proceedings of the City Council of the City of Nauvoo Handcock County, State of Illinois, Commencing A.D. 1841,” ca. 1841–1845. CHL. MS 3435.
- [1250]
“The Glasgow Conference,” Times and Seasons, 15 Apr. 1842, 3:763–765.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
- [1251]
Woodruff, Journal, 1–2 Jan. 1842.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
- [1252]
See 4 Jan. 1842 entry in History Draft.
- [1253]
- [1254]
“Gov. Duncan,” Times and Seasons, 1 June 1842, 3:806.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
- [1255]
See 5 Jan. 1842 entry in History Draft.
- [1256]
- [1257]
JS, Journal, 1 and 5 Jan. 1842.
- [1258]
See 6 Jan. 1842 entry in History Draft.
- [1259]
JS, Journal, 6 Jan. 1842.
- [1260]
Woodruff, Journal, 6 Jan. 1842.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
- [1261]
See 12 Jan. 1842 entry in History Draft.
- [1262]
Willard Richards, “Tithings and Consecrations for the Temple of the Lord,” Times and Seasons, 15 Jan. 1842, 3:667.
Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.
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