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.
his services are necessary in the body, as are also those of Teachers and Deacons. <April 6 Joseph’s address Continued.> Therefore in receiving the church as a whole, we may strictly denominate it one priesthood.
I frequently rebuke and admonish my brethren, and that because I love them; not because I wish to incur their displeasure or mar their happiness. Such a course of conduct is not calculated to gain the good will of all, but rather the ill will of many, therefore the situation in which I stand is an important one. So you see, brethren, the higher the authority, the greater the difficulty of the station: But these rebukes and admonitions become necessary from the perverseness of the brethren, for their temporal as well as spiritual welfare. They actually constitute a part of the duties of my station and calling.
Others have other duties to perform, that are important and far less enviable, and may be just as good, like the feet and hands in their relation to the human body, neither can claim priority, or say to the other I have no need of you. After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is, to preach the Gospel.
There are many causes of embarrassment, of a pecuniary nature, now pressing upon the heads of the church. They began poor, were needy, destitute, and were truly [HC 2:478] afflicted by their enemies; yet the Lord commanded them to go forth and preach the gospel, to sacrifice their time, their talents, their good name, and jeopardize their lives. and in addition to this, they were to build a house for the Lord and prepare for the gathering of the saints. Thus it is easy to see this must involve them. They had no temporal means in the beginning commensurate with such an undertaking, but this <work> must be done, this place had to be built up. Large contracts have been entered into for Lands on all sides where our enemies have signed away their right. We are indebted to them, but our brethren from abroad have only to come with their money, take these contracts, releive their brethren from the pecuniary embarrassments under which they now labor, and procure for themselves a peaceable place of rest among us; This place must and will be built-up, and every brother that will take hold and help secure and discharge those contracts that have been made, shall be rich.
<’s address> At 4. P.M. President addressed the Assembly, principally in relation to the temporal affairs of the church, and censured those who counselled such brethren as moved to this place when they were not authorized to give advice. He also alluded in terms of disapprobation to the practice of some individuals, in getting money from brethren that come in, when it ought to be appropriated to the discharge of heavy debts that are now hanging over the heads of the church, or the payments of the land contracts which had been made for the benefit of the saints in this place.
<’s Address.> Twenty five minutes before five President , spoke, opposing the idea of elders attempting to preach or teach that which they did not know, &c.
President <’s Address.> rose a little before 5. P.M. and [HC 2:479] after referring to thee gathering; and the preaching of the gospel, as the first thing, alluded to the debt which had been contracted for building the , and other purposes; and stated three principal items that constituted nearly the aggregate of debt that <Church Debts.> now remained unliquidated. First a charge of six thousand dollars which was appropriated and expended in consequence of the brethren being driven by a lawless mob from their possessions in . <The> Second was the building of the , the unliquidated debt of which [p. 757]