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.
<January 1> host, and was covered with the floods. Had not the power of God been exerted in a remarkable manner, it would seem as though the house of Israel must have become extinct, for Pharoah commanded the midwives to destroy the sons of the Israelitish women as soon as they were born, (Exodus i, 15, 16) and called them to account for saving the men children alive, (verse 18) and charged all his people saying every son that is born, ye shall cast into the river, (verse 22) and yet God would have mercy on whom he would have mercy, (Romans ix, 18) for he would have mercy on the goodly child, Moses, (when he was hid and laid in the flags, (Exodus ii, 3) by his mother, to save him from Pharoah’s cruel order) and caused that he should be preserved as a Prophet and deliver to lead his people up to their own country; and whom he would he hardened, for he hardened Pharoah by passing before him in mighty power, and withdrawing his spirit and leaving him to his own wicked inclination, for he had set taskmasters over the Israelites, to afflict them with their burdens; and caused them to build treasure cities for Pharoah, and made them to serve with rigor; and made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar and brick and all manner of service in the field (Exodus 1st. chapter); beside destroying the men children: thus proving to the God of heaven and all men that he had hardened his own hard heart; until he become a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction, (Romans ix. 22) all this, long before God said unto Moses, I will harden his (Pharaoh’s) heart (Exodus iv, 21). Are men then to be saved by works? Nay, verily, by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, (Ephesians ii, 8.) Not of works, lest any man should boast. (v.9.) Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, (Titus iii, 5) and yet faith without works is dead being alone, (James ii, 17.) Was not Abraham our father justified by works? (v. 21.) Shall we then be saved by faith? Nay, neither by faith nor works ; but by works is faith made perfect, (v. 22) but by grace are ye saved, (Ephesians ii, 8) and if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no <more> grace; and if it be of works then it is no more grace; otherwise work is no more work. (Romans xi. 6) Ye [HC 4:264] see then how that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only, (James ii, 24).
Romans x, 3, 4. For they, (Israel) being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God; for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Thus the righteousness of God is made manifest in the plan of salvation by his crucified son; for there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth; (Acts iv, 10, 12) but of this the Jews were ignorant, although they themselves crucified him; and they have been going about, wandering among all the nations of the earth ever since, for the space of eighteen hundred years, trying to establish their own righteousness, which is of the law of Moses; which law, can never make the comers thereunto perfect, (Hebrews x, 1;) yet notwithstanding their darkness, and long dispersion, there is a remnant according to the election of grace, [p. 1140]