JS, History, 1838–1856, vol. C-1, created 24 Feb. 1845–3 July 1845; handwriting of , , Jonathan Grimshaw, and ; 512 pages, plus 24 pages of addenda; CHL. This is the third volume of a six-volume manuscript history of the church. This third volume covers the period from 2 Nov. 1838 to 31 July 1842; the remaining five volumes, labeled A-1, B-1, D-1, E-1 and F-1, continue through 8 Aug. 1844.
Historical Introduction
This document, “History, 1838–1856, volume C-1 [2 November 1838–31 July 1842],” is the third of six volumes of the “Manuscript History of the Church” (in The Joseph Smith Papers the “Manuscript History” bears the editorial title “History, 1838–1856”). The completed six-volume collection covers the period from 23 December 1805 to 8 August 1844. The narrative in this volume commences on 2 November 1838 with JS and other church leaders being held prisoner by the “’s forces” at , Missouri, and concludes with the death of Bishop at , Illinois, on 31 July 1842. For a more complete discussion of the entire six-volume work, see the general introduction to this history.
Volume C-1 was created beginning on or just after 24 February 1845 and its narrative was completed by 3 May 1845, although some additional work continued on the volume through 3 July of that year (Richards, Journal, 24 and 28 Feb. 1845; Historian’s Office, Journal, 3 May 1845; 3 and 4 July 1845). It is in the handwriting of and contains 512 pages of primary text, plus 24 pages of addenda. Additional addenda for this volume were created at a later date as a supplementary document and appear in this collection as “History, 1838-1856, volume C-1 Addenda.” Compilers and Thomas Bullock drew heavily from JS’s letters, discourses, and diary entries; meeting minutes; church and other periodicals and journals; and reminiscences, recollections, and letters of church members and other contacts. At JS’s behest, Richards maintained the first-person, chronological-narrative format established in previous volumes, as if JS were the author. , , , and others reviewed and modified the manuscript prior to its eventual publication in the Salt Lake City newspaper Deseret News.
The historical narrative recorded in volume C-1 continued the account of JS’s life as prophet and president of the church. Critical events occurring within the forty-five-month period covered by this text include the Mormon War; subsequent legal trials of church leaders; expulsion of the Saints from Missouri; missionary efforts in by the and others; attempts by JS to obtain federal redress for the Missouri depredations; publication of the LDS Millennial Star in England; the migration of English converts to ; missionary efforts in other nations; the death of church patriarch ; the establishment of the city charter; the commencement of construction of the Nauvoo ; the expedition that facilitated temple construction; the introduction of the doctrine of proxy baptism for deceased persons; the dedicatory prayer by on the Mount of Olives in Palestine; publication of the “Book of Abraham” in the Nauvoo Times and Seasons; publication of the JS history often referred to as the “Wentworth letter;” the organization of the Female Relief Society of Nauvoo; and the inception of Nauvoo-era temple endowment ceremonies.
<September 15> with the enemies of truth, and sought his destruction; and would have rejoiced to see his aged and venerable form immured in a dungeon: but thank God this they were not suffered to do; he providentially made his escape, and after evading his enemies for some time, he undertook, and accomplished a journey of a thousand miles, and bore up under the fatigue and suffering necessarily attendant on such a journey, with patient resignation. After a journey of several weeks, he arrived in safety at , in the bosom of the Church, and was cordially welcomed by the Saints; who had found an asylum in the rich and fertile county of . There he in common with the rest of the Saints hoped to enjoy, the privileges and blessings of peace. There, from the fertile soil and flowery meads, which well repaid the labor of the husbandman, and poured forth abundance for the support of the numerous herds which decked those lovely, and wide spread prairies, he hoped to enjoy uninterrupted, the comforts of domestic life. But he had not long indulged these pleasing anticipations, before the delightful prospect again vanished, the cup of blessing which he began again to enjoy, was dashed from his aged lips; and the cup of sorrow filled to overflowing was given him instead; and surely he drank it to the [HC 4:194] very dregs: for, not only did he see the Saints in bondage, treated with cruelty, and some of them murdered; but the kind and affectionate parent, saw; and ah! how painful was the sight, two of his Sons, to whom he looked for protection, torn away from their domestic circles, from their weeping and distracted families, by monsters in the shape of men, who swore and threatened to kill them, and who had every disposition to embrue their hands in their blood. This circumstance was too much for his agitated, and now sinking frame to bear up under; and although his confidence in his God, was great, and his conduct was that of a Christian and a Saint; yet he felt like a man and a parent. At that time his constitution received a shock from which it never recovered. Ah! yes, there were feelings agitated in the bosom of our deceased friend at that time, of no ordinary kind, feelings of painful anxiety and emotion, too great for his earthly tabernacle to contain without suffering a great and a sensible injury; and which from that time began to manifest itself.
It would be unnecessary to trace him and his aged partner, (who shared in all his sorrows and afflictions) from such a scene, as many of the Saints are knowing to the privations and sufferings, which they in common with the church, <endured> while moving from that land of oppression; suffice it to say he arrived in safety in , broken down in constitution, and in health, and since then he has labored under severe afflictions and pain, while disease has been slowly, but surely undermining his system. Whenever he had a short respite from pain, he felt a pleasure in attending to his Patriarchal duties, and with cheerfulness he performed them; and frequently his labors have been more than his strength would admit of. but having great zeal for the cause of truth, he felt willing to be spent in the service of his God. For some time past he has been confined to his bed, and the time of his departure was near at hand. On saturday evening last an eruption of a blood vessel took place, when he vomited a large quantity of blood. [p. 1097]