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.
<November 8> restored without any further confession, that he should be received into the church by baptism which was administered accordingly. After I returned home I labored with and convinced him that he was wrong, and he made his confession to my satisfaction. I then went and labored with , and succeeded in convincing him also of his error, <Word of the Lord, & .> which he confessed to my satisfaction. [HC 2:303] The word of the Lord came unto me saying that , and President are under condemnation before the Lord for their errors, for which they made satisfaction the same day. I also took up a labor with for not partaking of the sacrament; he made his confession. Also for leaving the meeting before sacrament. She made no reply but manifested contrition by weeping.
<9 Mary Whitcher> Monday Morning 9th. after breakfast Mary Whitcher came in and wis[h]ed to see me. I granted her request. She gave a relation of her grievances, which were unfathomable at present, and if true sore indeed, and I pray my heavenly father to bring the truth of the case to light, that the reward due to evil doers may be given them, and that the afflicted and oppressed may be delivered. While sitting in my house between ten and eleven this morning a man came in and introduced himself to me, calling himself by the name <.— calls. Description of the Man.> of “.” His appearance was something singular, having a beard about three inches in length, quite grey; also his hair was long and considerably silvered with age. I should think him about 50 or 55, years old, tall, strait, slender built, of thin visage, blue eyes and fair complexion; wore a sea green frock coat, & pantaloons, black fur hat with narrow brim; and while speaking frequently shuts his eyes, with a scowl on his countenance. I made some enquiry after his name, but received no definite answer. We soon commenced talking on the subject of religion; and after I had made some remarks concerning the bible, I commenced giving him a relation of the circumstances connected with the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, as recorded in the former part of this history While I was relating a brief history of the establishment of the church of christ in these last days, seemed to be highly entertained. When I had closed my narration, [HC 2:304] I observed that the hour of worship and dinner had arrived, and invited him to tarry, to which he consented. After dinner, the conversation <’s remarks.> was resumed, and proceeded to make some remarks on the prophecies, as follows: He observed that he was aware that I could bear stronger meat than many others, therefore he should open his mind the more freely. “Daniel has told us that he is to stand in his proper lot, in the Latter Days: according to his vision he had a right to shut it up, and also to open it again after many days or in the Latter times. Daniel’s image, whose head was gold and body, arms, Legs and feet was composed of the different materials described in his vision, represents different governments. The Golden head was to represent Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon. The other [p. 637]