History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1 [1 July 1843–30 April 1844]
Source Note
Source Note
JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. E-1, created 20 Aug. 1855–5 Apr. 1856; handwriting of Robert L. Campbell, , and Jonathan Grimshaw; 392 pages, plus 11 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the fifth volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This fifth volume covers the period from 1 July 1843 to 30 Apr. 1844; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, C-1, D-1, and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
Historical Introduction
History, 1838–1856, volume E-1, constitutes the fifth of six volumes documenting the life of Joseph Smith and the early years of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The series is also known as the Manuscript History of the Church and was originally published serially from 1842 to 1846 and 1851 to 1858 as the “History of Joseph Smith” in the Times and Seasons and Deseret News. This volume contains JS’s history from 1 July 1843 to 30 April 1844, and it was compiled in Utah Territory in the mid-1850s.
The material recorded in volume E-1 was initially compiled under the direction of church historian , who was JS’s cousin. Smith collaborated with in collecting material for the history and creating a set of draft notes that Smith dictated to Bullock and other clerks.
Robert L. Campbell, a recently returned missionary and member of the Historian’s Office staff, transcribed ’s notes into the volume along with the text of designated documents (such as letters and meeting minutes). The Church Historian’s Office journal entry for 2 May 1855 pinpoints the beginning of his work: “R. L. C. on Book D forenoon, afternoon began book E.” Campbell’s work on the volume apparently concluded on 5 April 1856; entries in the Historian’s Office journal indicate that he then moved on to other assignments while another clerk, Jonathan Grimshaw, began work on volume F-1, the last manuscript in the series. (Historian’s Office, Journal, 2 May 1855; 5 and 9 Apr. 1856.)
Volume E-1 contains 391 pages of primary text and 11 pages of addenda. The initial entry on page 1637 is a continuation of the 1 July 1843 entry that closed volume D-1. The final entry in volume E-1 is for 30 April 1844.
The 391 pages of volume E-1 document a crucial period of JS’s life and the history of the church. Important events recorded here include
• An account of JS’s 2 July 1843 meeting with several Pottawatamie chiefs.
• JS’s 4 July 1843 address regarding his recent arrest, the Legion, and Mormon voting practices.
• JS’s 12 July 1843 dictation of a revelation regarding eternal marriage, including the plurality of wives, in the presence of and .
• The 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment of and revocation of his priesthood license.
• Dispatch of the first missionaries to the Pacific Islands on 20 September 1843, led by .
• JS’s 1 October 1843 announcement of ’s appointment to a mission to Russia.
• Minutes of a 6–9 October 1843 general conference inserted under the date of 9 October at which pled his case in regard to his 13 August 1843 disfellowshipment and was permitted to continue as counselor in the First Presidency.
• Text of JS’s appeal to the Green Mountain Boys of , inserted under the date of 29 November 1843.
• A 20 January 1844 entry that includes a poem by commemorating the presentation of two copies of the Book of Mormon to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by .
• JS’s nomination on 29 January 1844 as an independent candidate for the presidency of the .
• An account of JS’s sermon, 7 April 1844.
<September 7> there was deposited some plates on which were engraved an abridgement of the records of the ancient prophets that had existed on this continent. The angel appeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same things. After having received many visits from the angels of God unfolding the majesty, and glory of the events that should transpire in the last days, on the morning of the 22nd of September A. D. 1827, the angel of the Lord delivered the records into my hands.
“These records were engraven on plates which had the appearance of gold, each plate was six inches wide and eight inches long and not quite so thick as common tin. They were filled with engravings, in Egyptian characters and bound together in a volume, as the leaves of a book, with three rings running through the whole. The volume was something near six inches in thickness, a part of which was sealed. The characters on the unsealed part were small, and beautifully engraved. The whole book exhibited many marks of antiquity in its construction and much skill in the art of engraving. With the records was found a curious instrument which the ancients called ‘Urim and Thummim’, <[See Addenda Page 8.> [HC 6:9]
Called at the office, and administered the to Sister Partington and her two children.
Dreadful conflagration at Stuhlweissenburg in Hungary; about six hundred houses destroyed.
<8> Friday I was at home all day, my wife being sick.
started for with the Court papers in relation to the writ of , and as a Witness.
I directed to go to , Iowa, to get a deed signed by for the Steamer “Maid of Iowa”.
Muster day of the first Cohort.
The held a meeting in Boylston Hall, ; present , , , and .
<9> Saturday My wife a little more comfortable. went to , got the deed signed by and his wife, and returned in the evening.
General training of the .
The met the in at Boylston Hall in , 16 were represented containing 878 members. A great deal of [HC 6:10] valuable instruction was given by the Twelve, and the Hall, a very large one, was crowded. A number were during Conference which lasted three days. The Minutes of Conference I here insert.
“Conference held at Boylston Hall, 9th. September 1843. Present of the Quorum of the Twelve, Elders , , , , , , and . Reported by .
Confereence opened with prayer by Elder .
After the various branches in the New England States were represented, Elder made a few remarks, of which the following is a synopsis: [p. 1716]
Source Note
Source Note
Document Transcript
Document Information
Document Information
Footnotes
Footnotes
- [245]
JS, Journal, 7 Sept. 1843.
- [246]
“Extensive Conflagration,” LDS Millennial Star, Oct. 1843, 4:95.
Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.
- [247]
See 8 Sept. 1843 entry in History Draft.
- [248]
JS, Journal, 8 Sept. 1843; Clayton, Journal, 8–9 Sept. 1843.
Clayton, William. Journals, 1842–1845. CHL.
- [249]
Woodruff, Journal, 8 Sept. 1843.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
- [250]
See 9 Sept. 1843 entry in History Draft.
- [251]
JS, Journal, 9 Sept. 1843.
- [252]
Woodruff, Journal, 9–11 Sept. 1843; Minutes, Boston, MA, 9–11 Sept. 1843, Historian’s Office, Minutes and Reports (Local Units), 1840–1886, CHL.
Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.
Historian’s Office. Minutes and Reports, 1840–1886. CHL.
Go to page