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.
respecting a certain letter which they received from the presidency of <January 16 Council of the Twelve Continued> the high Council in , while attending a conference in the State of ,— also spoke of being placed in our council on friday last, below the councils of and Zion, having been previously placed next the presidency in our assemblies, also observed that they were hurt on account of some remarks made by presedent , on the trial of , (who had been previously tried before the council of the Twelve, while on their mission in the east,) who had by their request, thrown his case before the high council in for investigation; and the Twelve considered that their proceedings, with him, were in some degree discountenanced. then gave way to his brethren and they arose and spoke in turn until they had all spoken, acquiescing in the observations of and made some additions to his remarks, which were as follows, that the letter in question which they received from the presidency, in which two of their members were suspended, and the rest severely chastened, and that too upon testimony which was unwarrantable; and particular stress was laid upon [HC 2:372] a certain letter which the presidency had received from Doct. , of , New York, in which he preferred charges against them, which were false, and upon which we, (the presidency) had acted in chastening them, and therefore the Twelve had concluded that the presidency had lost confidence in them, and that whereas the church in this place, had carressed them, at the time of their appointment to the Apostleship, they now treated them coolly, and appeared to have lost confidence in them also. They spoke of their having been in the work from the beginning almost, and had borne the burden in the heat of the day, and passed through many trials, and that the presidency ought not to suspect their fidility, nor loose confidence in them, neither have chastened them upon such testimony as was lying before them,— also urged the necessity of an explanation upon the letter which they received from the presidency, and the propriety of their having information as it respects their duties, authority, &c, that they might come to an understanding in all things, that they might act in perfect unison and harmony before the Lord, and be prepared for the endowment,— also that they had preferred a charge against , for his unchristian Conduct. which the presidency had disregarded;— Also that President , on a certain occasion, had made use of language to one of the Twelve that was unchristian, and unbecoming any man, and that they would not submit to such treatment. The remarks of the Twelve were made in a very forcible and explicit manner yet cool and deliberate
<Joseph’s Reply.> I observed that we had heard them patiently, and in turn should expect to be heard patiently also; and first I remarked that it [p. 690]