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.
<October 12> to be “why I go to Church or Chapel and get my children christened, what more is necessary”? When we conversed with the learned, we found them too wise to be taught, and too much established in the traditions of their Fathers to expect any change in the last days— While conversing with the Ministers of the various orders of the day, upon the principles of the gospel, they would inform us that the ancient order of things was done away, and no longer needed; and some of them had preached forty years the good old religion, and God was with them, and they needed no more revelation, or healing the sick, or any thing as manifest in the days of the Apostles, for we can get along without them in this day of refinement, light and knowledge— When we arose to preach unto the people repentance and baptism [HC 4:222] for the remission of sins, the cry of “Baptist, Baptist,” would be rung in our ears. If we spoke of the church and body of Christ being composed of Prophets and Apostles, as well as other members, “Irvinites, Irvinites,” would immediately dash into the mind. If, in the midst of our remarks, we even for once suffered the saying to drop from our lips “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy,” “O you belong to JoannaSouthcoats”! would be heard from— several places at once— If we spoke of the second coming of Christ, the cry would be “Aithenites.” If we made mention of the Priesthood, they would call us “Catholics.” If we testified of the ministering of angels, the people would reply the Irvinites have their angels, and even the Duke of Normandy is ready to swear that he has the administering of angels every night”— These salutations in connexion with a multitude of others, of a similar nature”— continued to salute our ears from day to day, until we were about ready to conclude that had been such a perfect depot of the systems of the nineteenth century, that it contained six hundred three score and six different Gods, gospels, Redeemers, plans of salvation, religions, churches, commandments, essential and non essential, orders of preaching, roads to heaven and to hell: and that this order of things had so affected the minds of the people, that it almost required a trump to be blown from the highest heavens, in order to awaken the attention of the people, and prepare their minds to candidly hear and receive the doctrine of one gospel, one faith, one baptism, one Holy Ghost, one God and one plan of salvation and that such as Christ and the Apostles preached— But notwithstanding this we do not feel discouraged concerning a work being perfected in but firmly believe that — — — — — many souls embrace the fulness of the gospel there, though it will be through faith, diligence perserverance, and prayer. Having spent 23 days together in this first mission in the Metropolis and the time drawing near for our October Conference, left the on the 10th. of September for the purpose of attending several Conferences; he attended the Bran Green and Gadfield Elm Conference held in Worcestershire on the 14th. of September, and also the Frooms Hill Conference held in Herefordshire on the 21st. of September; at these two Conferences he heard represented, 40 <branches of the Church> containing 1007 Members, and 113 officers, viz; 19 Elders, 78 Priests, 15 Teachers, [p. 1112]