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.
President said, that the wickedness of brother Green <September 16. Council.> in condemning President Smith is evident from the testimony, and that brother Aldridge also did act foolishly, and by the influence of a wrong spirit in questioning the integrity of the heads of the church, in the purchase of the book, and that president Smith was and is justifiable, in doing as he has done, in this matter, and should not be censured, as he has been done, in this matter by brother Green.
<’s observations.> Presedent then arose, and showed by a few plain remarks, how Satan had sought from the beginning, to destroy the Book of Mormon; and, in order to do this, had been actually leveling his shafts againts the Servants of God, who were called to bring it forth, and bear testimony of it to the world; and now hath sought occasion against the servants in tempting brethren to say they had equivocated in the price of the record Book, which was presented last Sabbath: and that brother Aldridge. and perhaps others fell under this evil influence, and brother Green justifies them in this thing and condemns President Smith; and is not and ought not to be justified in so doing. went on to shew that the book was purchased as cheap as it could be, and was < inrrupted> actually worth what was given for it, (namely 12 dollars.) requested leave to interrupt a moment, to inform the council that a moment before, bro Green passed the house, and when the speaker told him the councils was considering his case, and requested him to come in; he said that he should go about his own business, so and so went on his way regardless of the council. resumed shewing that the design of brother Aldridge or at least of the spirit that was in him, was to destroy the character of the heads of the Church, and shewed that we intended to speculate out of the brethren, and extort from them more than the cost of the book: and now instead of regarding our feelings, he disregards us altogether, and shows that he has no faith in the High council. [HC 2:275] Soon <H. Green came in.> after brother Green came in, and said that he had been detained longer than he intended; having been to on business, and had to deliver the horse and harness to the owner before he could attend <to> the council.
< spoke. – Decision.> then arose and decided that brother Green should not have been hindered from being here, by any other business; and if so, he should have notified the council, <.> and requested an adjournment. then observed that he thought the case sufficiently brought before the <, Continued> council, and would say no more: and proceeded to give his decision; That brother Green Should, (if he were aggrieved with president Smith, have gone and told him of his difficulty, and not have said any thing about it to his [p. 614]