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.
I next called upon the quorums and congregations of saints to <March 27.> acknowledge the High council of Zion, and uphold them by their prayers, in all the authority of the High priesthood, which they did, by rising
I then called upon the quorums and all the saints to acknowledge the , and his counsellors, and uphold them by their prayers, which they did, by rising.
The quorums and congregations of saints were then called upon to acknowledge and uphold by their prayers, the , , and , and their counsellors, which they did, by rising. The vote was unanimous in every instance, and I prophecied to all, that inasmuch as they would uphold these men in their several stations, (alluding to the different quorums in the church,) the Lord would bless them. Yea, in the name of Christ, the blessings of heaven shall be yours. And when the Lord’s anointed go forth to proclaim the word, bearing [HC 2:418] testimony to this generation, if they receive it, they shall be blessed; but if not, the judgments of God will follow close upon them, until that city or that house; that rejects them, shall be left desolate.
The Hymn on the 114 page— of the L.D.S. collection was then sung. Tune.— Dalston.
“How pleased and blest was I.
“To hear the people cry,
“Come, let us seek our God to day!” &c. [HC 2:419]
The following dedicatory Prayer was then offered to Almighty God at the Dedication of the in , Ohio, March 27th 1835. by me, Joseph Smith junr. first President of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Prayer.
<Dedicaton Prayer <+>> Thanks be to thy name, O Lord God of Israel, who keepest Covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, who walk uprightly before thee with all their hearts; Thou who hast commanded thy servants to build a to thy name in this place, (.) And now thou beholdest, O Lord, that as so thy servants have done according to thy commandment. And now we ask Thee, Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, the son of thy bosom, in whose name alone salvation can be administered to the children of men: we ask thee, O Lord, to accept of this , the workmanship of the hands of us thy servants, which thou didst command us to build; for thou knowest that we have done this work through great tribulation; and out of our poverty we have given of our substance to build a to thy name, that the Son of man might have a place to manifest himself to his people.
And as thou hast said in a revelation given unto us, calling us thy friends, saying:— “Call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you; and as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom: Seek learning, even by study, and also by faith.
“Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing. and establish [p. 717]