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.
committee, which was read three times by the chairman. The third time <March 3> he read the resolutions he gave time and opportunity, after reading each article; for objections to be made, if any there were, but no objections [HC 2:402] were raised, or alterations made; but an addition was made to the 6th article extending the powers of chairman & clerk pro tem, to sign licences &c. I then observed that these resolutions must needs pass through each quorum separately beginning at the presidency, and consequently it must first be thrown into the hands of the President of the Deacons and his council, as equal rights and privileges are my motto, and one man as is as good as another, if he behaves as well, and that all men should be esteemed alike, without regard to distinctions of an official nature. The resolutions passed through the quorum President of the deacons <and his council> by their unanimous voice. It was then thrown before the <Presidents of the> several quorums <and their council> in the following order, and, in the same manner as before, viz. the Teachers, Priests, of , of Zion, Elders, High Priests, Seventy, High council of Zion, High Council of , The Twelve, and lastly into the hands of the Presidency of the Church, and all the quorums: and received their unan<x> imous sanction. The Resolutions &c, has are as follows,— <x>
“Whereas the records of the several conferences, held by the elders of the church, and the ordination of many of the official members of the same, in many cases, have been imperfectly kept since its organization, to avoid ever after any inconvenience, difficulty or injury in consequence of such neglect Your committee recommend;
<Resolutions on Licences &c.> 1st. That all Licences hereafter granted by these authorities, assembled as a quorum, or by general conference, held for the purpose of transacting <the> business of the church, be recorded at full length by a clerk appointed for that purpose, in a book to be kept in this branch of the church, until it shall be thought adviseable by the heads of the church, to order other books and appoint other, clerks, to record licences as above; and that said recording clerk be required to endorse a certificate, under his own hand and signature. on the book of said Licences. specifying the time when, and place where, such Licence was recorded. and also a reference to the Letter and page of the Book containing the same. [HC 2:403]
2d. That this quorum appoint two persons to sign Licences given as aforesaid, one as chairman. and the other as clerk of conference, and that it shall be the duty of said person, appointed to sign licences as clerk of conference, immediately thereafter to deliver the same into the hands of the recording clerk.
3d. That all General Conferences abroad give each individual whom they ordain a certificate signed by the Chairman and Clerk of said conference. stating the time. and place of such conference. and the office to which the individual has been ordained, and that when such certificate has been forwarded to the person here after authorized to sign Licences as clerk of conference, such person shall, together with chairman of conference, immediately sign a [p. 709]