In late winter 1841, JS attended a meeting in , Illinois, likely one of the weekly gatherings of the Nauvoo lyceum, and spoke on the principles of true friendship. JS’s comments came in direct response to another individual’s remarks on the same subject during the meeting. The topic may have even been carried over from a meeting the week before, in which JS spoke about loyalty.
wrote the account featured here in his notebook, presumably during the meeting or shortly thereafter. Although McIntire did not provide a date for the meeting, lyceum meetings appear to have been held every Tuesday in 1841, and because the text of this discourse is found in the ninth entry of McIntire’s notebook, JS likely delivered this discourse at the lyceum meeting of 2 March, the ninth Tuesday of 1841.
This dating assumes a weekly meeting beginning on Tuesday, 5 January 1841. For more on the dating issues in McIntire’s notebook, see Historical Introduction to Discourse, ca. 2 Feb. 1841.
Page [13]
Next Meeting W Soby on true friendship— he said true Friendship was such as a man Laying Down his Life for his Friend. Joseph said there was a diferance Between the veng[e]ance that Belongeth to the Lord, & a man Defending himself or friend— of the Mamon of unrighteousness Joseph said the majority of man king [mankind] was ◊◊ist & true a must Lavish his Goods on all around him & out of them he will find freinds in the hour of Distress for those that have been made Ritch By the Benevalance of their Rich friend of them there will be some that will do you Good in affliction— [p. [13]]
It is possible that McIntire here intended to render “Br” or “Mr” as a title for Soby. No W. Soby has been located in Nauvoo records for this time period. However, Leonard Soby was a prominent Nauvoo resident and church member who was appointed to the Nauvoo high council just over a month after this lyceum meeting. (Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 6 Apr. 1841.)
Nauvoo High Council Minutes, 1839–1845. CHL. LR 3102 22.
As recorded in the Bible, Jesus declared, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” JS reportedly delivered a Sunday sermon on this same topic—the willingness of true friends to lay down their lives as did Jesus—several years earlier in the midst of the “Mormon War” in Missouri. (John 15:13; Sarah Head, Statement, ca. 22 Jan. 1845, Historian’s Office, JS History Documents, ca. 1839–1860, CHL.)
Historian’s Office. Joseph Smith History Documents, 1839–1860. CHL. CR 100 396.