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.
your arduous toils, but when your work is done, and your <February 21.> labor o’er, he will take you to himself. But before this consummation of your felicity, bring your mind to bear upon what will be imperiously required of you to accomplish the great work that lies before you. Count well the cost. You have read of the trials and persecutions of ancient days. Has not bitter experience taught you that they are the same now? You will be dragged before the authorities for the religion you profess, and it were better not to set out than to start, look back, or shrink when dangers thicken upon, or appaling death stares you in the face. I have spoken these things, Dear Brother, because I have seen them in visions. There <are> strong dungeons and gloomy prisons for you. These should not appall you. You must be called a good or bad man. The ancients passed th[r]ough the same. They had this testimony that they had seen the Savior after he rose from the dead. You must bear some testimony or your mission, your labor, your toil will be in vain. You must bear the same testimony, that there is but one God; one mediator; he that has seen him will know him, and testify of him. Beware of Pride, beware of evil; shun the very appearance of it, for the time is coming when if you do not hear to these things, you will have a fall. Among your many afflictions you will have many blessings also. but you must pass through many afflictions in order to receive the glory that is in reserve for you. You will see thousands, who, when they first see you, will know nothing about salvation by Jesus Christ; You shall see a nation born in a day. A great work lies before you, and the time is near, when you must bid farewell to your native land, cross the mighty deep, and sound the tocin of alarm to other nations, kindreds, tongues and people. Remember that all your hopes of deliverance from danger and from death, will rest upon your faithfulness, to God in his cause. You must necessarily serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind. Avoid strife and vain glory, think not yourself better than your brethren, but pray for them, as well as for yourselves yourself, and if you are faithful, great will bee your blessings, but if you are not your stewardship will be taken from you, and another appointed in your stead
gave his hand to President and said he had received ordination, and should fulfil the ministry according to the grace given him: To which the president replied. Go forth and angels shall bear thee up, and thou shalt come forth at the last day bringing many with thee.