Times and Seasons (, 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 -affiliated newspaper Times and Seasons was published near , Illinois, in 1839. Owned jointly by and , the paper was edited at various times by Smith, Robinson, and through summer 1841. Following the deaths of Smith and Thompson in August 1841, Robinson became sole proprietor and editor of the paper. On 28 January 1842 JS dictated a revelation that directed the to assume editorial responsibility for the paper. A week later Robinson sold the newspaper, along with the remainder of his printing establishment, to JS.
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. 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.” Though JS actively edited the paper at times, apparently assisted him in writing content. 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.
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. 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.
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.
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.)
keep a fair copy of this law in some conspicuous place in his or their auction room, for the inspection of the public; and if he or they shall fail so to do, he or they shall forfeit and pay a penalty of twenty dollars.
The officers of my staff are required to assemble at my residence, on Friday, the 11th day of March, 1842, at 10 o’clock A. M. armed and equipped according to law.
JOSEPH SMITH,
Lieutenant General.
’s Office, Nauvoo Legion,
City of , Feb. 25, A. D. 1842.
My staff, accompanied by the band, is required to rendezvous, at my quarters, on Friday, the 11th day of March, proximo, at 10 o’clock, A. M., armed and equipped as the law directs.
,
Major General.
Frst Cohort, Nauvoo Legion,
Feb. 27, A. D. 1842.
All the battalions of the 1st Cohort, residing within the Precinct, are required to assemble for battalion parade, at the usual place of rendezvous, on Friday, the 11th day of March, at 10 o’clock A. M.—all officers, and troops will take notice and govern themselves accordingly. My staff will appear at my residence at the same hour.
,
Brigadier General, & Brev. Maj. Gen.
Second Cohort, Nauvoo Legion,
Feb. 27, A. D. 1842.
The officers and privates, of the 2d Cohort, are required to rendezvous, for battalion parade, at the usual place in this , on Friday, the 11th day of March, at 10 o’clock, A. M.—all persons concerned, therefore, will take notice, and govern themselves accordingly. My staff will congregate at my residence, at the same hour.
,
Brigadier General.
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MARRIED—In this , on Wednesday, the 23d ult. Mr. William L. Hide, to Miss Elizabeth H. Bullard.
DIED—In this , near , on the 22d of Feb. last, Mrs. Emeline Leyland, wife of Benjamin Leyland, aged 14 years and 8 months. Sister Leyland died strong in the faith of the , and wished to have her bones laid with the saints.
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Poetry.
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For the Times and Seasons.
ONE OF TIME’S CHANGES.
Some things have chang’d from what they were
When all the fairest of the fair;
Whom Fame has rank’d among the ‘beauties;’
Were skillful in domestic duties.
Our modern Misses scarce believe
That ladies us’d to spin and weave;
Or, that gay Princesses, of yore,
Wrought the righ garments, Princes wore.
Since Fashion has with Folly met,
The stars of Industry have set—
Pleasure and Profit have disbanded,
And Labor, like grim Want, is branded.
’Tis strange as foolish, but ’tis got so
Who are not idle, would be thought so;
And ladies too, have grown so common,
No wonder if they plunder Mammon!
Now who, beneath proud Fashion’s peal,
Will dare draw music from the wheel,
Or regulate the kitchen, when
stops, to wield the pen?
.
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Editorial Note
In the fourth and final editorial passage from the 1 March 1842 issue of the Times and Seasons, JS informed readers that the printing establishment’s stock of books and paper had been moved to a mercantile he recently opened in Nauvoo. JS’s store formally opened for business on 5 January 1842. JS acquired the printing establishment—which included a printing press, a stereotype foundry, a bookbindery, paper, and other supplies—from on 4 February 1842.
REMOVAL.
THE BOOKS AND STATIONARY of this establishment have been removed to the brick kept by Joseph Smith, on Water Street.
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The Times and Seasons,
is edited by
Joseph Smith.
Printed and published about the first and fifteenth of every month, on the corner of Water and Bain Streets, , Hancock County, Illinois, by
JOSEPH SMITH.
TERMS.—Two Dollars per annum, payable in all cases in advance. Any person procuring five new subscribers, and forwarding us Ten Dollars current money, shall receive one volume gratis. All letters must be addressed to Joseph Smith, publisher, post paid, or they will not receive attention. [p. 718]