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 council then decided that said committee, after arrangeing <September 24.> and publishing said book of covenants, have the avails of the same. The council then decided that a notice be published to <High priests to be ordained at .> the churches and conferences abroad, that high priests be ordained hereafter, in [HC 2:165] the high council at , and receive Licence, signed by the clerk of the council. The council decided that be privileged to make such arrangements with his store, as he shall deem most adviseable, considering his present embarrassed circumstances. Closed by Prayer,
Great exertions were made to expedite the work of the ; and notwithstanding it was commenced, as it were, with nothing, as to means, yet the way opened as we proceeded, and the saints rejoiced.
<October 1.> The former part of October was spent in arrangeing matters respecting the and the ; for it had previously been published that the “Evening and Morning” Star” would be discontinued, and a new paper, entitled “The Latter Day Saints Messenger and Advocate” issued in its place, [HC 2:167]Having accomplished all that could be done at present, on the 16th. of the <16.. Journey to >month, I in company with my brother and elders , , , and , left for the purpose of visiting some Saints in the state of , where after a tolerably pleasant journey, <20. Conversation with Ellmer> we arrived at Pontiac on the 20th.. While on our way up the Lake, on board the steamer “Munroe” had a short discourse with a man calling himself his name Elmer. He said he was “personally acquainted with “Joe” Smith; “had heard him preach his lies, [HC 2:168] and nowsincehewasdeadhewasglad! The He had heard Joe Smith preach in , Chenango County, New York, five years since; he knew it to be him, that he was a darkcomplexionedman” &c. He appeared to exult the most in that Joewasdead, <and made his observations in my presence> I con[c]luded he had learned it from the popular Priests of the day, who, through fear that therir craft will be injured, if their systems are compared with the truth. seek to ridicule those who teach it, and thus am I suffering under the tongue of Slander for Christ’s sake, unceasingly. God have mercy on such, if they will quit their lying. I need not state my complexion to those who have seen me, and those who have read my history thus far will recollect that five years ago I was not a preacher, as Ellmer represented, neither was I <Return to > ever in . After preaching, and teaching the saints as Long as our time would allow, we returned to greatly refreshed from our journey, and much pleased with our friends in that section of the Lord’s vineyard. It now being the last of the month, and the elders beginning to come in, it was necessary to make preperations for the of for the Elders, wherein they might be more perfectly instructed, in the great [p. 557]