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Discourse, 21 February 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards

Source Note

JS, Discourse, [, Hancock Co., IL, 21 Feb. 1843]. Featured version copied [ca. 21 Feb. 1843] in JS, Journal, bk. 1, 21 Dec. 1842–10 Mar. 1843, pp. [202]–[215]; handwriting of ; JS Collection, CHL. For more complete source information, see the source note for JS, journal, 1842–1844.

Historical Introduction

On 21 February 1843, JS delivered a one-hour discourse at the construction site in , Illinois, regarding the urgency of completing the temple and the , both of which the Latter-day Saints were building in accordance with a January 1841 revelation. According to , thousands had gathered at the temple site in the morning for the purpose “of Advancing the cause of the Nauvoo House & other mattrs.” , a trustee of the , addressed the gathering, followed by , whom JS had appointed to be the architect of the Nauvoo House. During his comments, Woodworth stated that there was “not that public spirit here as in other cities.” To support his claims, he referenced the laborers on the Nauvoo House who were constantly asking for their pay and for food. Hoping to deescalate the complaints, he asked the laborers to continue working on the house and to be patient as they waited to receive compensation for their labor. He then stated that, like the workers, he had eaten “dry Johncake & cold water” and had shared whatever he had with the workers. For those who continued to complain, Woodworth hoped that they would “get their pay & run away.” Emphasizing the importance of the temple and Nauvoo House building projects, he told the community that if the two buildings were not finished, “you must run—away,” suggesting that those who did not contribute to the buildings ought to vacate the city.
When JS arose to speak, he endorsed what had said and then offered his own remarks on the subject. He reiterated the importance of the , explaining that he considered it just as sacred as the . The 19 January 1841 revelation commanding the construction of the temple made clear that the house, like the temple, “shall be holy.” On 2 October 1841, JS further demonstrated the importance of the Nauvoo House when he deposited the original manuscript of the Book of Mormon, along with several other sacred writings, in the building’s cornerstone.
During the discourse, JS expressed displeasure with those who withheld resources from the construction of the in order to aggrandize themselves at the expense of others, singling out in his criticism. JS and Foster had disputed over various matters during the preceding months, and Foster had publicly supported someone other than JS for mayor. At his inauguration, JS accused Foster of having taken “an active part in electioneering for the written opposition ticket. & obstructing the passage to the polls.” In his 21 February discourse, JS voiced irritation that Foster had recently signed a petition to replace as ’s postmaster with , who was not a member. Shortly before JS ended his discourse, Foster interjected by refuting some of JS’s criticisms, and JS apparently accepted most of his refutations.
briefly mentioned the discourse in his diary, stating that JS’s remarks “were plain & pointed.” created a much more detailed account of the discourse, which he recorded in JS’s journal. In preparing JS’s history, Richards later inscribed a copy of the sermon in his rough draft notes. This later version provided additional information that helped to explain some of the enigmatic statements in the journal. Richards’s original version in JS’s journal is featured here.

Footnotes

  1. [1]

    Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843; Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:22–23, 31].

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

  2. [2]

    Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843.

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

  3. [3]

    Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843; An Act to Incorporate the Nauvoo House Association [23 Feb. 1841], Laws of the State of Illinois [1840–1841], p. 131, sec. 2; Council of Fifty, “Record,” 22 Mar. 1845.

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

    Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Ninth General Assembly, at Their First Session, Commencing December 1, 1834, and Ending February 13, 1835. Vandalia, IL: J. Y. Sawyer, 1835.

  4. [4]

    JS, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843.

  5. [5]

    JS, Journal, 1 Feb. 1843; see also Council of Fifty, “Record,” 22 Mar. 1845. Temple laborers had also expressed concern about receiving compensation. (Letter to “Hands in the Stone Shop,” 21 Dec. 1842.)

  6. [6]

    JS, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843.

  7. [7]

    Revelation, 19 Jan. 1841 [D&C 124:24].

  8. [8]

    Memorandum, 2 Oct. 1841; JS, Journal, 29 Dec. 1841.

  9. [9]

    JS, Journal, 11 Feb. 1843.

  10. [10]

    In November 1842, JS and others expressed discontent with Rigdon as the postmaster, believing he may have cooperated with John C. Bennett to steal money and letters from the post office. (Letter to George W. Robinson, 6 Nov. 1842; Letter to Horace Hotchkiss, 26 Nov. 1842; Letter to Richard M. Young, 9 Feb. 1843. For the petition in favor of Rollosson, see JS, Journal, 13 Feb. 1843; for the petition in favor of JS, see JS, Journal, 8 Nov. 1842.)

  11. [11]

    Foster acknowledged that some of JS’s accusations against him were true. At the same time, he noted his contributions to the Nauvoo House and the Nauvoo Relief Society as well as to the construction of JS’s own house. Foster suggested that his business dealings allowed him to contribute to the public good in Nauvoo. He also acknowledged signing the petition requesting that William Rollosson be made the postmaster but said that he had done so without knowing about the earlier efforts to make JS the postmaster. As indicated by his subsequent remarks at the end of the sermon, JS apparently felt satisfied with Foster’s reply. (Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843; JS, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843.)

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

  12. [12]

    Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843.

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

Asterisk (*) denotes a "featured" version, which includes an introduction and annotation. *Discourse, 21 February 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards Journal, December 1842–June 1844; Book 1, 21 December 1842–10 March 1843 Discourse, 21 February 1843, as Reported by Wilford Woodruff History Draft [1 January–3 March 1843] History, 1838–1856, volume D-1 [1 August 1842–1 July 1843] “History of Joseph Smith”

Page [206]

of rising all over town but there is no flesh on them. personal aggrandizement. dont care how many bones— somebody may come along & clothe them.— elephants. crocodiles &c eaters. such as grog shop &c— card shops &c— those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. The building of is just as sacred in my view as the Temple.
I want the bui[l]t it must be built, our salvation depends upon it. When men have done what they can or will for the temple. let them do what they can for the . We never can accomplish our work at the expence [p. [206]]
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Source Note

Document Transcript

Page [206]

Document Information

Related Case Documents
Editorial Title
Discourse, 21 February 1843, as Reported by Willard Richards
ID #
995
Total Pages
14
Print Volume Location
JSP, D11:460–468
Handwriting on This Page
  • Willard Richards

Footnotes

  1. [13]

    JS was playing on the name of Foster’s “Mammoth Hotel,” a three-story brick building under construction on the northeast corner of Mulholland and Woodruff streets, just east of the Nauvoo temple site. (JS, Journal, 21 Jan. 1844; Cochran et al., History of Hancock County, Illinois, 441; Berrett, Sacred Places, 3:184.)

    Cochran, Robert M., Mary H. Siegfried, Ida Blum, David L. Fulton, Harold T. Garvey, and Olen L. Smith, eds. History of Hancock County, Illinois: Illinois Sesquicentennial Edition. Carthage, IL: Board of Supervisors of Hancock County, 1968.

    Berrett, LaMar C., ed. Sacred Places: A Comprehensive Guide to Early LDS Historical Sites. 6 vols. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1999–2007.

  2. [14]

    In preparing this sermon for JS’s history, Willard Richards rendered this statement, “They are all for personal interest & aggrandisement.” (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 21 Feb. 1843, 21.)

  3. [15]

    In preparing this sermon for JS’s history, Willard Richards rendered this statement, “See the Bones of the Elephant yonder (as I pointed to the big house on Mulholland Street preparing for a Tavern as yet uncovered. The Crocodiles and man Eaters all about the city.” (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 21 Feb. 1843, 21.)

  4. [16]

    In preparing this sermon for JS’s history, Willard Richards rendered this statement, “such as Grog Shops & Card Shops & Counterfeit Shops &c.” While JS’s journal does not record JS mentioning counterfeiting in this discourse, he may have had the subject on his mind at this time, since the city council passed an ordinance on 4 March imposing a fine of up to $5,000 for counterfeiting. (Historian’s Office, JS History, Draft Notes, 21 Feb. 1843, 21; Nauvoo City Council Minute Book, 4 Mar. 1843, 167–168; see also JS, Nauvoo, IL, to Thomas Ford, Springfield, IL, 14 June 1844, JS Collection, CHL.)

  5. [17]

    Wilford Woodruff noted that in referring to the temple and the Nauvoo House, JS told the congregation “that it was as necessary to build one as the other.” (Woodruff, Journal, 21 Feb. 1843.)

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

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