JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. B-1, created 1 Oct. 1843–24 Feb. 1845; handwriting of and ; 297 pages, plus 10 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the second volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This second volume covers the period from 1 Sept. 1834 to 2 Nov. 1838; the subsequent four volumes, labeled C-1 through F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
This document, volume B-1, is the second of the six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church.” The collection was compiled over the span of seventeen years, 1838 to 1856. The narrative in volume B-1 begins with the entry for 1 September 1834, just after the conclusion of the Camp of Israel (later called Zion’s Camp), and continues to 2 November 1838, when JS was interned as a prisoner of war at , Missouri. For a fuller discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to the history.
, serving as JS’s “private secretary and historian,” completed the account of JS’s history contained in volume A-1 in August 1843. It covered the period from JS’s birth in 1805 through the aftermath of the Camp of Israel in August 1834. When work resumed on the history on 1 October 1843, Richards started a new volume, eventually designated B-1.
At the time of JS’s death in June 1844, the account had been advanced to 5 August 1838, on page 812 of volume B-1. ’s poor health led to the curtailment of work on B-1 for several months, until 11 December 1844. On that date, Richards and , assisted by , resumed gathering the records and reports needed to draft the history. Richards then composed and drafted roughed-out notes while Thomas Bullock compiled the text of the history and inscribed it in B-1. They completed their work on the volume on or about 24 February 1845. Richards, , and Jonathan Grimshaw later added ten pages of “Addenda,” which provided notes, extensive revisions, or additional text to be inserted in the original manuscript where indicated.
Though JS did not dictate or revise any of the text recorded in B-1, and chose to maintain the first-person, chronological narrative format established in A-1 as if JS were the author. They drew from a variety of primary and secondary sources including JS’s diaries and letters, minutes of meetings, the first edition of the Doctrine and Covenants, church and other periodicals, reports of JS’s discourses, and the reminiscences and recollections of church members. As was the case with A-1, after JS’s death, , , , and others modified and corrected the manuscript as they reviewed material before its eventual publication.
Beginning in March 1842 the church’s Nauvoo periodical, the Times and Seasons, began publishing the narrative as the “History of Joseph Smith.” It was also published in England in the church periodical the Millennial Star beginning in June 1842. Once a press was established in Utah and the Deseret News began publication, the “History of Joseph Smith” once more appeared in print in serialized form. Beginning with the November 1851 issue, the narrative picked up where the Times and Seasons had left off over five years earlier.
The narrative recorded in B-1 continued the story of JS’s life as the prophet and president of the church he labored to establish. The account encompasses significant developments in the church’s two centers at that time—, Ohio, and northwest —during a four-year-span. Critical events included the organization of the Quorums of the Twelve Apostles and the Seventy, the dedication of the House of the Lord in Kirtland, Ohio, the establishment of the Kirtland Safety Society, dissension and apostasy in Kirtland and Missouri, the first mission to England, JS’s flight from Kirtland to Missouri in the winter of 1838, the Saints’ exodus from Kirtland later that year, the disciplining of the Missouri presidency, and the outbreak of the Missouri War and arrest of JS. Thus, B-1 provides substantial detail regarding a significant period of church expansion and transition as well as travail.
The question; Was or was it not the design of Christ to establish his <November 18.> gospel by miracles? After an interesting debate of three hours or more during which time much talent was displayed, it was decided by the president of the debate in the negative; which was a righteous decision. I discovered, in this debate, much warmth displayed; too much zeal for mastery; too much of that enthusiasm [HC 2:317] that characterizes a Lawyer at the bar, who is determined to defend his cause right or wrong. I therefore availed myself of this favorable opportunity to drop a few words upon this subject by way of advice, that they might improve their minds and cultivate their powers of intellect in a proper manner, that they might not incur the displeasure of heaven; that they should handle sacred things very sacredly, and with due deference to the opinions of others, and with an eye single to the glory of God.
<19.> Thursday 19th. Went in company with and my to see how the workmen prospered in finishing the . The masons on the inside had commenced putting on the finishing coat of plastering. On my return I met and and conversed with them upon the subject of their being disaffected, I found that they were not so, as touching the faith of the church, but with some of the members. I returned home and spent the day in translating the Egyptian Records. a warm and pleasant day.
<20> Friday 20th. At home in the morning. Weather warm and rainy. < returned from .> We spent the day in translating, and made rapid progress. At evening returned from , bringing with him a quantity of Hebrew Books, for the Benefit of the school. He presented me with a Hebrew Bible. Lexicon and Grammar: also a Greek Lexicon and Webster’s English Dictionary Lexicon. had a prosperous journey, according to the prayers of the saints in .
<21.> Saturday 21st. Spent the day at home in examining my books, and studying the Hebrew Alphabet. At evening met with our Hebrew class to make some arrangements about a Teacher. It was decided by the voice of the school to send to for a Jew, to [HC 2:318] teach us the language, if we could get released from the engagement we had made with to teach us, having ascertained that he was not qualified to give us the knowledge we wished to acquire of the Hebrew.
<Sunday 22.> Sunday 22 Went to meeting at the usual hour. preached from the 7th. of Matthew. ’s brother-in-law and other relatives were at meeting. In the afternoon the meeting was <council> held in the . In the evening a council of High priests and elders was held in the presence of the members of the Church, <.> when Mr , who had been an ordained elder in the church, and for a time had preached the gospel successfully, but after a while had sent his licence to president Smith in a letter, came before the council and confessed that he had been in temptation, and fallen into temptation <error> so much as to [p. 655]