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Times and Seasons, 1 March 1842

Source Note

Times and Seasons (
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, 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
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
-affiliated newspaper Times and Seasons was published near
Commerce

Located near middle of western boundary of state, bordering Mississippi River. European Americans settled area, 1820s. From bank of river, several feet above high-water mark, ground described as nearly level for six or seven blocks before gradually sloping...

More Info
, Illinois, in 1839.
1

Ebenezer Robinson and Don Carlos Smith, “Address,” Times and Seasons, Nov. 1839, 1:1–2.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

Owned jointly by
Don Carlos Smith

25 Mar. 1816–7 Aug. 1841. Farmer, printer, editor. Born at Norwich, Windsor Co., Vermont. Son of Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack. Moved to Palmyra, Ontario Co., New York, 1816–Jan. 1817. Moved to Manchester, Ontario Co., 1825. Baptized into Church of Jesus...

View Full Bio
and
Ebenezer Robinson

25 May 1816–11 Mar. 1891. Printer, editor, publisher. Born at Floyd (near Rome), Oneida Co., New York. Son of Nathan Robinson and Mary Brown. Moved to Utica, Oneida Co., ca. 1831, and learned printing trade at Utica Observer. Moved to Ravenna, Portage Co....

View Full Bio
, the paper was edited at various times by Smith, Robinson, and
Robert B. Thompson

1 Oct. 1811–27 Aug. 1841. Clerk, editor. Born in Great Driffield, Yorkshire, England. Methodist. Immigrated to Upper Canada, 1834. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by Parley P. Pratt, May 1836, in Upper Canada. Ordained an elder by...

View Full Bio
through summer 1841. Following the deaths of Smith and Thompson in August 1841, Robinson became sole proprietor and editor of the paper.
2

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.


Comprehensive Works Cited

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.

On 28 January 1842 JS dictated a revelation that directed the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Members of a governing body in the church, with special administrative and proselytizing responsibilities. A June 1829 revelation commanded Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer to call twelve disciples, similar to the twelve apostles in the New Testament and ...

View Glossary
to assume editorial responsibility for the paper.
3

Revelation, 28 Jan. 1842.


A week later Robinson sold the newspaper, along with the remainder of his printing establishment, to JS.
4

Agreement with Ebenezer Robinson, 4 Feb. 1842.


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.
5

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.)


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.”
6

JS, Journal, 2 Mar. 1842.


Though JS actively edited the paper at times,
John Taylor

1 Nov. 1808–25 July 1887. Preacher, editor, publisher, politician. Born at Milnthorpe, Westmoreland, England. Son of James Taylor and Agnes Taylor, members of Church of England. Around age sixteen, joined Methodist church and was local preacher. Migrated ...

View Full Bio
apparently assisted him in writing content.
7

Woodruff, Journal, 19 Feb. 1842.


Comprehensive Works Cited

Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

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.
8

JS was listed as editor of the newspaper through the 15 October 1842 issue; John Taylor was listed as editor thereafter. (Masthead, Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1842, 3:958; Masthead, Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1842, 4:16.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

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.
9

Book of Abraham and Facsimiles, 1 Mar.–16 May 1842 [Abraham 1:1–2:18]; “Church History,” 1 Mar. 1842; Letter from Robert Peirce, 28 Feb. 1842; Notice, ca. 1 Mar. 1842; General Orders for Nauvoo Legion, 22–27 Feb. 1842.


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.
10

See “Editorial Method”.


Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Ebenezer Robinson and Don Carlos Smith, “Address,” Times and Seasons, Nov. 1839, 1:1–2.

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  2. [2]

    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.

  3. [3]

    Revelation, 28 Jan. 1842.

  4. [4]

    Agreement with Ebenezer Robinson, 4 Feb. 1842.

  5. [5]

    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.)

  6. [6]

    JS, Journal, 2 Mar. 1842.

  7. [7]

    Woodruff, Journal, 19 Feb. 1842.

    Woodruff, Wilford. Journals, 1833–1898. Wilford Woodruff, Journals and Papers, 1828–1898. CHL. MS 1352.

  8. [8]

    JS was listed as editor of the newspaper through the 15 October 1842 issue; John Taylor was listed as editor thereafter. (Masthead, Times and Seasons, 15 Oct. 1842, 3:958; Masthead, Times and Seasons, 1 Nov. 1842, 4:16.)

    Times and Seasons. Commerce/Nauvoo, IL. Nov. 1839–Feb. 1846.

  9. [9]

    Book of Abraham and Facsimiles, 1 Mar.–16 May 1842 [Abraham 1:1–2:18]; “Church History,” 1 Mar. 1842; Letter from Robert Peirce, 28 Feb. 1842; Notice, ca. 1 Mar. 1842; General Orders for Nauvoo Legion, 22–27 Feb. 1842.

  10. [10]

    See “Editorial Method”.

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Notice, circa 1 March 1842–B *Letter from Robert Peirce, 28 February 1842 *“Church History,” 1 March 1842 *General Orders for Nauvoo Legion, 22–27 February 1842

Page 712

they are assisted by the faculty to die, they do not die a natural death—for the corner thought it necessary to warn this “foolish sect” lest they should be guilty of dying a natural death and no doubt (according to the statement of the coroner) if Elizabeth Morgan had still remained a citizen of
London

City in southeast England; located on River Thames about sixty miles west of North Sea. Capital city of England. Population in 1841 about 2,000,000. London conference of British mission organized, 1841.

More Info
and not have joined that “strange sect” (who die naturally) but that she would either have lived forever or have had the privilege of dying an unnatural death through the assistance of medical aid.
But the
Latter-Day Saints

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
are a “strange sect” a “foolish sect” but why so? “they dated their origin from the apostles, and treated their sick according to the following text taken from the last chapter of the epistle of St. James: ‘If there be any illness (is any sick) among you ye shall (let him) call for the
elders

A male leader in the church generally; an ecclesiastical and priesthood office or one holding that office; a proselytizing missionary. The Book of Mormon explained that elders ordained priests and teachers and administered “the flesh and blood of Christ unto...

View Glossary
of the church, and annoint yourselves with oil in the name of the Lord,’ -[and let them pray over him, annointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”]- The coroner seems to be ignorant of the doctrines of the Latter-Day Saints, or he never would have stated that they “dated their origin from the apostles.” We believe in apostolic religion, but we do not date our origin from them—we believe that the religious world have all become corrupt long ago, and that it needed a revelation from heaven to restore apostolic religion, and that we have had such a communication:
36

A revelation published in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants indicated that the ancient prophets Peter, James, and John ordained and confirmed JS and Oliver Cowdery as “apostles and especial witnesses” and committed to them the “keys of my [the Lord’s] kingdom.” (Revelation, ca. Aug. 1835 [D&C 27:12–13].)


but we do not profess to have descended lineally from them. The learned coroner seems also to be ignorant of his bible, or he would have quoted the above passage a little more correctly than he has done. Respecting its being contrary to our religious tenets to employ “medical aid” we would remark that it is unqualifiedly false, and that we have no tenets prohibiting any such thing, but we think that sister Morgan had as much right to refuse medical aid and die a natural death if she thought proper,
37

Lorenzo Snow, who was living with the Morgans at the time of Elizabeth’s death, indicated that she “continually expressed a wish that no doctor should administer her medicines; and particularly requested that no one should cast any reflections upon her dear husband and children because no doctor had been employed, for she wanted no physician but the Lord.” (Lorenzo Snow, London, England, to Parley P. Pratt, Manchester, England, 28 Oct. 1841, in Millennial Star, Nov. 1841, 2:109, italics in original.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

as a Methodist, Presbyterian, Quaker, Univeralist, or any other person: and that the coroner had no right to hinder her, nor to try other people for allowing her to do so.
But the people prayed for her “according to the text in St. James” ‘if any are sick &c.’ The thing has at last come out; the coroner did not think it right to follow the directions of “St. James,” for he thinks them a “strange sect” a “foolish sect,” and admonishes them to beware of such conduct, from which we must naturally infer that the coroner does not believe the epistle of James, nor do any of the sects in
London

City in southeast England; located on River Thames about sixty miles west of North Sea. Capital city of England. Population in 1841 about 2,000,000. London conference of British mission organized, 1841.

More Info
, -[for his profession must make him generally acquainted with the sects]- and and he thinks this is a ‘strange’ sect because they do, and that they are very ‘foolish’ for believing it. A man may be a Dunkard,
38

This refers to the Schwarzenau Brethren, which was a Christian denomination founded by religious refugees in Schwarzenau, in what is now Germany, in 1708. Members of the Brethren migrated to the United States in 1719 and organized a congregation near Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1723. In America they were often referred to as “German Baptists,” “Dunkers,” or “Dunkards,” in reference to their belief in threefold baptism. (Durnbaugh, Fruit of the Vine, 25–29, 74–77, 118, 173–174.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Durnbaugh, Donald F. Fruit of the Vine: A History of the Brethren, 1708–1995. Elgin, IL: Brethren Press, 1997.

a Shaker, a Methodist, a Southcatonian,
39

A reference to the followers of Joanna Southcott, who were often referred to as “Southcottians.” While working as a domestic servant in Exeter, England, in the early 1790s, Southcott began to have visions of the end of the world and Christ’s second coming. She recorded her prophecies, hundreds of which were later published, and by the mid-1810s had gained at least twelve thousand followers in England. (Southcott, Strange Effects of Faith, 5; Hopkins, Woman to Deliver Her People, xvii–xviii, 76–79, 83–84; Lockley, Visionary Religion and Radicalism in Early Industrial England, 3–4.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Southcott, Joanna. The Strange Effects of Faith; With Remarkable Prophecies (Made in 1792, &c.) of Things Which Are to Come: Also Some Account of My Life. Exeter, England: By the author; T. Brice, no date.

Hopkins, James K. A Woman to Deliver Her People: Joanna Southcott and English Millenar- ianism in an Era of Revolution. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982.

Lockley, Philip. Visionary Religion and Radicalism in Early Industrial England: From Southcott to Socialism. Oxford Theological Monographs. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.

a Presbyterian, or a Wilkinsonian;
40

A reference to the followers of Jemima Wilkinson, a preacher who established a religious society referred to as the Society of Universal Friends in the late 1700s. (See Moyer, Public Universal Friend, 2–3.)


Comprehensive Works Cited

Moyer, Paul B. The Public Universal Friend: Jemima Wilkinson and Religious Enthusiasm in Revolutionary America. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2015.

he may dance, or shake, or whirl around on his heel, or rend the heavens with his shouts, or sit still and say nothing: he may profess to be a mortal, or an immortal man; he may do any thing that is unscriptural, and it will be orthodox but to believe the bible, and to practice its precepts is ‘foolish and strange’ to this enlightened and Christian coroner, and to the inhabitants of
London

City in southeast England; located on River Thames about sixty miles west of North Sea. Capital city of England. Population in 1841 about 2,000,000. London conference of British mission organized, 1841.

More Info
. But that they die after this administration is singular. The apostles however and the ancient churches used to administer in this ordinance, and yet they died. It is well for them that they did not live in the city of
London

City in southeast England; located on River Thames about sixty miles west of North Sea. Capital city of England. Population in 1841 about 2,000,000. London conference of British mission organized, 1841.

More Info
, the seat of religion, and science, or the pious coroner and his coadjutors would have tried these ungodly men for practising contrary to their religion, and would have warned all the sect against their impositions and follies.
 
——————————
COMMUNICATIONS
——————————
 
LETTER FROM ELDER
L[orenzo] SNOW

3 Apr. 1814–10 Oct. 1901. Schoolteacher. Born in Mantua, Portage Co., Ohio. Son of Oliver Snow and Rosetta Leonora Pettibone. Attended Oberlin College. Baptized into Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by John F. Boynton, 19 June 1836, in Kirtland...

View Full Bio
.
London

City in southeast England; located on River Thames about sixty miles west of North Sea. Capital city of England. Population in 1841 about 2,000,000. London conference of British mission organized, 1841.

More Info
, Nov. 10, 1841
Elder [Heber C.] Kimball

14 June 1801–22 June 1868. Blacksmith, potter. Born at Sheldon, Franklin Co., Vermont. Son of Solomon Farnham Kimball and Anna Spaulding. Married Vilate Murray, 22 Nov. 1822, at Mendon, Monroe Co., New York. Member of Baptist church at Mendon, 1831. Baptized...

View Full Bio
—
Dear Sir,—I received your letter directed from
Pittsburgh

Also spelled Pittsbourg, Pittsbourgh, and Pittsburg. Major industrial port city in southwestern Pennsylvania. Near location where Monongahela and Allegheny rivers converge to form Ohio River. French established Fort Du Quesne, 1754. British captured fort,...

More Info
, which I answered soon after its reception. I have also received another from you written at
Nauvoo

Principal gathering place for Saints following expulsion from Missouri. Beginning in 1839, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased lands in earlier settlement of Commerce and planned settlement of Commerce City, as well as surrounding areas....

More Info
, which I read last Sunday week to a large congregation of Saints; they were extremely gratified with its contents, and much delighted in hearing from one who had labored so hard to plant the standard of
Zion

A specific location in Missouri; also a literal or figurative gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, characterized by adherence to ideals of harmony, equality, and purity. In JS’s earliest revelations “the cause of Zion” was used to broadly describe the ...

View Glossary
in this dark and benighted
city

City in southeast England; located on River Thames about sixty miles west of North Sea. Capital city of England. Population in 1841 about 2,000,000. London conference of British mission organized, 1841.

More Info
. I forwarded it to
Elder [Parley P.] Pratt

12 Apr. 1807–13 May 1857. Farmer, editor, publisher, teacher, school administrator, legislator, explorer, author. Born at Burlington, Otsego Co., New York. Son of Jared Pratt and Charity Dickinson. Traveled west with brother William to acquire land, 1823....

View Full Bio
, for publication in the ‘Star.’
The ‘stone of the mountain,’ which you set to rolling in
London

City in southeast England; located on River Thames about sixty miles west of North Sea. Capital city of England. Population in 1841 about 2,000,000. London conference of British mission organized, 1841.

More Info
, (I am thankful to the Most High in being able to say,) has not yet ceased moving, but is daily becoming more rapid and powerful in its revolutions. It has already gathered round its holy shrine, despite of opposing powers, about one hundred and forty sons and daughters of Zion. Every thing in relation to the
church

The Book of Mormon related that when Christ set up his church in the Americas, “they which were baptized in the name of Jesus, were called the church of Christ.” The first name used to denote the church JS organized on 6 April 1830 was “the Church of Christ...

View Glossary
generally goes on prosperously; the power of God is beginning to manifest itself in a wonderful manner among the Saints; remarkable diseases have been healed through the medium of the
priesthood

Power or authority of God. The priesthood was conferred through the laying on of hands upon adult male members of the church in good standing; no specialized training was required. Priesthood officers held responsibility for administering the sacrament of...

View Glossary
, and many of the Saints have had open visions, which are of that glorious nature as to cause their hearts to rejoice, and to give glory to the Lord God of Zion. [p. 712]
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Page 712

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Times and Seasons, 1 March 1842
ID #
8487
Total Pages
16
Print Volume Location
JSP, D9:192–202
Handwriting on This Page
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Footnotes

  1. [36]

    A revelation published in the 1835 edition of the Doctrine and Covenants indicated that the ancient prophets Peter, James, and John ordained and confirmed JS and Oliver Cowdery as “apostles and especial witnesses” and committed to them the “keys of my [the Lord’s] kingdom.” (Revelation, ca. Aug. 1835 [D&C 27:12–13].)

  2. [37]

    Lorenzo Snow, who was living with the Morgans at the time of Elizabeth’s death, indicated that she “continually expressed a wish that no doctor should administer her medicines; and particularly requested that no one should cast any reflections upon her dear husband and children because no doctor had been employed, for she wanted no physician but the Lord.” (Lorenzo Snow, London, England, to Parley P. Pratt, Manchester, England, 28 Oct. 1841, in Millennial Star, Nov. 1841, 2:109, italics in original.)

    Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star. Manchester, England, 1840–1842; Liverpool, 1842–1932; London, 1932–1970.

  3. [38]

    This refers to the Schwarzenau Brethren, which was a Christian denomination founded by religious refugees in Schwarzenau, in what is now Germany, in 1708. Members of the Brethren migrated to the United States in 1719 and organized a congregation near Germantown, Pennsylvania, in 1723. In America they were often referred to as “German Baptists,” “Dunkers,” or “Dunkards,” in reference to their belief in threefold baptism. (Durnbaugh, Fruit of the Vine, 25–29, 74–77, 118, 173–174.)

    Durnbaugh, Donald F. Fruit of the Vine: A History of the Brethren, 1708–1995. Elgin, IL: Brethren Press, 1997.

  4. [39]

    A reference to the followers of Joanna Southcott, who were often referred to as “Southcottians.” While working as a domestic servant in Exeter, England, in the early 1790s, Southcott began to have visions of the end of the world and Christ’s second coming. She recorded her prophecies, hundreds of which were later published, and by the mid-1810s had gained at least twelve thousand followers in England. (Southcott, Strange Effects of Faith, 5; Hopkins, Woman to Deliver Her People, xvii–xviii, 76–79, 83–84; Lockley, Visionary Religion and Radicalism in Early Industrial England, 3–4.)

    Southcott, Joanna. The Strange Effects of Faith; With Remarkable Prophecies (Made in 1792, &c.) of Things Which Are to Come: Also Some Account of My Life. Exeter, England: By the author; T. Brice, no date.

    Hopkins, James K. A Woman to Deliver Her People: Joanna Southcott and English Millenar- ianism in an Era of Revolution. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1982.

    Lockley, Philip. Visionary Religion and Radicalism in Early Industrial England: From Southcott to Socialism. Oxford Theological Monographs. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.

  5. [40]

    A reference to the followers of Jemima Wilkinson, a preacher who established a religious society referred to as the Society of Universal Friends in the late 1700s. (See Moyer, Public Universal Friend, 2–3.)

    Moyer, Paul B. The Public Universal Friend: Jemima Wilkinson and Religious Enthusiasm in Revolutionary America. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2015.

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