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.
preached in the fore[HC 2:291]noon, Elder in the <October 25> afternoon; after which, Elder joined brother and sister in Matrimony; and I blessed them with long life and prosperity in the name of Jesus Christ. At evening I attended prayer-meeting, opened it, and exhorted the brethren and sisters about one hour. The Lord poured out his Spirit and some glorious things were spoken in the gift of tongues and interpreted, concerning the redemption of Zion.
<26 To Court Fined $20.> Monday 26th. Went to to attend the County Court in company with Broths , and . was called in question before this court for not doing military duty, and was fined because we had not our conference Minutes with us for testimony to prove that was clerk of the conference: This testimony we should have carried with us had it not been for the neglect of our counsel or Lawyer, who did not put us in possession of this information: this we felt was a want of fidelity to his client, and we consider it a base insult practiced upon us on account of our faith, that the ungodly might have unlawful power over us, and trample us under their unhallowed feet; and in consequence of this neglect, a fine was imposed on of twenty dollars, including costs, for which he was obliged to sell his cow, to defray the expenses, of the same, and I say in the name of Jesus Christ, that the money which they have thus unjustly taken, shall be a testimony against them, and canker, and eat their flesh as fire.
<27.> Tuesday 27th. In the morning I was called to visit at Brother ’s. was confined, and in a dangerous situation. went to after . I went out into the field and bowed before the Lord, and called upon him in mighty prayer, in her behalf; and the word of the [HC 2:292] Lord came unto me, saying, My Servant shall come and shall have wisdom given him, to deal prudently, and my handmaid shall be delivered of a living child and be spared. The <> came in about one hour afterwards, and in the course of two hours she was delivered, and thus what God had manifested to me was fulfilled every whit, This evening I preached in the school house to a crowded congregation.
<29. Scribe> Thursday 29.th Brother commenced writing for me at fifteen dollars per month, I paid him sixteen dollars in advance out of the committee store. and visited us. While we set writing, passed our window, just returned from the east. I was called to <Council on > appear before the High council, which was then Sitting, to give my testimony in an action brought by Brother , against Brother , for whipping his daughter unreasonably. My testimony was in ’s favor, from conversation with the Parents and the Girl, at their [p. 630]